Press Release

For Immediate Release, November 4, 2004
Contact: Lorraine Quiroga, 202-833-6130

Washington, DC – The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) hailed a surge in Latino voter participation in Tuesday’s elections that helped propel two Hispanic candidates into the Senate and elect an historic high of 25 Latinos to Congress. Based on exit polls reported by CNN, as many as 9 million Hispanics voted on Election Day setting a new record for Latino participation in a presidential election. Hispanic voter participation exceeded all expectations by growing as much as 50% since 2000 when Latino voter participation was just under 6 million.

The Hispanic share of the US electorate also grew up to 33% in just four years and now accounts for 8% of the US electorate compared to 6% in 2000 even as a record number of Americans went to the polls.

“It is clear that Latino voters are energized and engaged in our electoral process like never before,” stated LULAC National President Hector M. Flores. “We are confident that the record Latino voter turnout is due in large part to LULAC’s Democracy Initiative and the concerted efforts of our partner organizations to register Latino voters and get them to the polls.”

For the first time ever, two Latinos won election to the U.S. Senate ending a 27-year absence of Latinos in that body in dramatic fashion. Democrat Ken Salazar of Colorado won a decisive victory in Colorado over Republican Peter Coors overcoming a significant disadvantage in campaign funds and picking up strong support from Latinos and rural voters. Republican Mel Martinez of Florida, the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bush, won a close race against Democrat Betty Castor riding strong support from the Latino population of Florida.

“We are delighted to see two Hispanic Americans elected to the Senate giving us a voice in that body for the first time since 1977,” stated Flores. “We are confident that Senators Salazar and Martinez will help champion the interests of Latinos in Congress and move our issues forward within their respective parties.”

In addition, Democrats Henry Cuellar of Texas and John Salazar of Colorado along with 21 Latino incumbents won election to the U.S. House of Representatives increasing Hispanic representation in that body to 23 members. Ken Salazar and John Salazar are the first Latino brothers to serve in the Senate and House simultaneously and join brothers Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart and sisters Loretta and Linda Sanchez as Latino siblings serving in Congress.

“The dramatic increase in Hispanic voter participation in this election foreshadows huge gains in Latino political power still to come,” stated LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes. “With the Hispanic population expected to grow to 25% of the US population by 2050 and hundreds of thousands of Latinos becoming eligible to vote every year, it has become increasingly clear to politicians of both political parties that they must address the interests of Latinos and field more Latino candidates in order to remain competitive.”

A key strategy of the Bush campaign to reach out to the Hispanic community appears to have succeeded in increasing the President’s share of the Hispanic vote to around 42%, the highest ever for a Republican and up from 35% in 2000 according to media reports. Consequently, LULAC will insist that the new administration increase Latino nominations to the cabinet and other high ranking positions, dramatically increase Hispanic representation in the Federal civilian workforce and push forward legislation to address key Latino issues such as education, housing, health care and immigration reform.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States.  LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.