From NPR:

With the 2012 sweepstakes for Hispanic votes under way, President Obama and the Democrats tout a decided advantage. But as more Latino Republicans run for state and local offices — and win — they could persuade Hispanic voters to reconsider their party loyalty.

For many years, the overwhelming majority of Latinos in elected office have been Democrats, due in part to the party’s advocacy of social programs and pro-amnesty immigration policies.

Today, elected Latino Democrats outnumber elected Latino Republicans by an 11-to-1 margin, according to the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO).

But the ranks of Latino Democrats have thinned over the past five years, while their Republican counterparts have gained.

Since 2006, the number of Hispanic Democratic officeholders has shrunken by nearly 2 percent. Meanwhile, the number of Hispanic Republicans in office has increased 22.5 percent.

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