Can Romney move the needle with Latino voters?

Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) speaks to the media before a town hall during a campaign stop with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (L) at Mustang Expediting April 23, 2012 in Aston, Pennsylvania.

/ Jessica Kourkounis

(CBS News) Last week, in an interview with The Hill newspaper, the Romney campaign set a goal of 38 percent Latino support for the November election. 

According to a recent poll by NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Telemundo, however, the campaign has a ways to go before hitting that mark: The survey, conducted from August 16-20, shows Obama leading Romney 67 percent to 23 percent among Hispanics.

"In most cases for Republicans to perform very well among Hispanic voters past the 35, 38, or even 40 percent mark, they've been working with Hispanic communities for the length of career in their states," said Leslie Sanchez, a Republican strategist who specializes in trends affecting women and Hispanics. "Many Latino voters, especially open-minded independents, don't know Governor Romney [yet]."

This week, at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, the Romney campaign will try to change that: Even as the former Massachusetts governor officially accepts the nomination, the party will be ramping up its messaging and showcasing some of its most prominent Latino up-and-comers.

"There's a record number of Hispanic speakers at the convention," said Alexandra Franceschi, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee (RNC). Pointing to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's Thursday night timeslot introducing Romney, she added, "You see a lot of rising Hispanic stars within the Republican Party. You can see that the Republican message resonating with the community."

Franceschi said the Romney campaign would be releasing Spanish-language ads targeted specifically to Latino demographics, and noted that Romney had agreed to sit down with Univision host Jorge Ramos at a "Meet the Candidate" forum for the network. She also pointed out that "Juntos con Romney," the GOP's Latino outreach arm, has committees in 15 states and a national steering committee.

Even while the GOP plans to use the week's festivities to reinforce its commitment to the Latino community, many people believe the campaign's real push will come after the convention, when the Romney campaign is able to access fundraising money earmarked for the general election, and can flood the airwaves with increased advertising.

"When they get through with the convention, I think you'll see a real effort -- but it's not going to be easy and I don't think there's anybody that's kidding themselves about that," said Susan McManus, a professor at University of South Florida. "My guess is there's going to be a really powerful outreach on the part of Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush going forward. They're two very popular multilingual people here in our state, and I think they're going to be sent out on the road. The more multilingual interactions they can have with Hispanic voters, the better."

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[Aceduece]

Not a chance; everybody knows that Mormons don't like people who aren't as WHITE and PURE as they are.

[0bama2O12]

Is the caption a rhetorical question or a hysterical question?

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

Can Romney move the needle with Latino voters?
---
Considering his party passed unconstitutional laws trying to strip Hispanics of their rights in about a half-dozen states, not bloody likely.....

[unclebernies]

We need to follow the Australian voting model which makes it mandatory for people to vote. It would cut out most of the BS that goes on and it would be a true indicator of what the people want. Chance of republicans voting on this. Zero.

[RollotheNorman]

A number of countries in Europe also. RepubliCONs would never go for it. Anybody not deluded or in dementia votes for anybody but the RepubliCON candidate.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Republicans are rigging the elections trying to steal it with these unnecessary VOTER I.D. LAWS and they had yet to pay the appropriate price for subverting our constitution and democracy. The media print, video and digital are complicit in allowing this. The media and our government would be shouting what republicans are doing at every chance if this were going on in country of one of our enemies. But it's accepted because it's happening here in America?

HELL NO! Republicans must be held to account for this attack to subvert our democracy. Republicans should be attacked by libertarians, liberals, conservatives, tea partiers and other groups in addition to the media for subverting our right to vote.

[tmramir]

Latinos will not even come close to backing Romney after what has come out of the mouths of many Republicans including Romeny. Wishful thinking on Romney's part to even think Latino's will support him.

[AOCGUY]

hillzhaveays - Of course they will since Romney is the son of a Mexican immigrant.

[peter_out]

Lucy it's rude to use needle and Latino in the heading.

[88Ronin]

Here's the REASON THINGS ARE THEY WAY THEY ARE...

https://blu159.mail.live.com/default.aspx?n=1894856996&rru=inbox&fid=1&fav=1#n=858225630&rru=inbox&fid=1&fav=1&mid=9162e12f-f002-11e1-8158-00215ad8c1ee&fv=1

[RollotheNorman]

He might add a few Cubans, but they're RepubliCON chumps anyway. A really curious case of ingratitude on the part of the Cubans - it was Jimmy Carter that opened the door wide to their en mass immigration. Oh, well, just no accounting for some people.

[AOCGUY]

The U.S. Government has defined Hispanic or Latino persons as being "persons who trace their origin [to] . . . Central and South America, and other Spanish cultures. Origin can be considered as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of the person or the person's parents or ancestors. . ."

So since Romney's father was born and partially raised in Mexico can Romney claim to be hispanic or lantino?

[EmpireGeorge______--]

Was the father just born-in and raised in Mexico, or could he "trace his origin" to those countries, to me, that would be the difference....was mexico, the country of his father ? the first hispanic president, you are on to something....lol

[AOCGUY]

Well Ben he did claim he was unemployed as well, so he can feel the pain that other unemployed billionaires all feel.