Arizona's evolving voter battleground

By

Published on

The Guardian reported that Arizona, with its growing population of young Hispanic voters, has long seemed a tempting prize for Democrats. Year after year, electoral success has eluded them. As the 2018 midterms approach, with Arizona one of the biggest political battlegrounds, Democrats are indefatigably optimistic.

Last month, public school teachers walked out of their classrooms – and won salary increases and more funding for schools. The state is also at the center of the roiling debate over illegal immigration and border enforcement. It is home to Hispanics, 31 percent of the population, and suburban white voters who strongly disagree with Trump’s hardline politics.

Joseph Garcia, director of Arizona State University's Latino Public Policy Center at Morrison Institute, said Latinos made up more than a fifth of the Arizona electorate in 2016 election but their influence was limited by low voter turnout.

A study he worked on (Arizona's Emerging Latino Vote), however, found that by 2030 Arizona could become a “blue, progressive state,” in large part because of the Latino vote.

“The die is cast as far as changing demographics [go],” Garcia said. “It’s not hard to predict the future when you have the numbers.”

READ: The political battle for Arizona tells a story of America’s changing demographics