Embattled Democrats are facing a fierce voter backlash on Election Day from disillusioned Latinos,
The Los Angeles Times reports.
Democratic candidates are crossing their fingers that Latinos will come out in force on Nov. 4 as party leaders cling to hope that they will continue to control the Senate, while at least maintaining the status quo in the House.
With the strength of Latino voters gaining rapidly across the country, desperate Democrats believe they could help prevent the party suffering heavy losses in two weeks.
But the Times notes that Latino voting tumble during midterm elections, which could be compounded by the disappointment that many are feeling over President Barack Obama's policies, particularly on immigration.
"Obama promised too much and never delivered," Jose Trujillo, 44, told the newspaper outside a church in Georgia, which is considered one of the tightest Senate races in the country with Democrat Michelle Nunn facing off against Republican David Perdue.
Clara Puerta, publisher of a Spanish-language newspaper, El Nuevo Georgia, also slammed the president, who was dubbed the "deporter in chief" by the
National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia earlier this year.
"Obama has not responded to our community," said Puerta, who volunteers for the Peach State's Democratic Party. "He promised us a lot of things and has not followed through. A lot of people are upset and they don't want to vote."
In the 2012 presidential process, California, Nevada, and Colorado turned from red to blue, while Latinos voted for Obama in record numbers. Since then, however, the commander in chief has angered Latinos by failing to follow up on his repeated vow to push through a comprehensive immigration package.
"All the air has been let out," said Matt Barreto, a University of Washington political scientist who carries out major polls on the Latino population in the United States.
His surveys reveal that Latinos could swing the vote in nearly 40 races, including House elections in San Diego and Sacramento, Senate contests in Colorado and Georgia, and gubernatorial races in Arizona, Florida, and Illinois. But the Times reports those results may depend on Latinos voting en masse for Democratic candidates.
Meanwhile, Republicans are taking advantage of the Latinos' dissatisfaction with Obama by building an outreach program centered on 10 states, including California, Arizona, Colorado, and Florida, where GOP operatives hope to secure the votes of certain Latino groups, especially social conservatives and small-business owners, according to the Times.