Nevada’s most powerful Latino turnout machine is sitting this race out
Source: MSNBC
LAS VEGAS – Minority voters on Saturday will play a critical role for the very first time this election, and yet, the major powerhouse that typically drives Latinos to the polls is instead staying out of the process almost entirely. Nevada’s influential Culinary Union has shied away from activating its massive voter mobilization machine, leaving the bulk of its political organizing on ice after union leaders decided to hold back on endorsing a presidential candidate just yet. But Culinary is not just declining to chose sides. In fact, the union has done uncharacteristically little to ensure that its 57,000 members – nearly half of whom are Hispanic – will turn out to caucus on Saturday. ...
The union’s absence from the political process is a major hit to the campaigns and state Democratic leaders hoping to see voter turnout exceed expectations. Nevada only just gained its early-state status in the Democratic primary in 2008, largely thanks to its growing Latino population, which now stands at more than 17 percent of eligible voters. But many voters are still new to caucusing. Language barriers add an extra layer of intimidation to an already unfamiliar process.
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There are signs that the Clinton campaign is feeling anxious about its lock on Latino voters without Culinary to draw members to caucus. A flurry of top Clinton surrogates and icons in the Latino community have worked the circuit of hotels and casinos along the Las Vegas strip, meeting with housekeepers, bartenders and “back of house” workers in break rooms during their time off.
Dolores Huerta, a legendary civil rights activist with the United Farm Workers union, and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine courted casino workers this week. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, a prominent backer of comprehensive immigration reform, met with union leaders in Las Vegas the week before. Huerta, a longtime Clinton supporter, said she was so disappointed to find that Culinary workers were not even aware of the approaching caucus that she planned to take issue up with union leaders directly.
Read more: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/nevadas-most-powerful-latino-turnout-machine-sitting-out-race
LOL at Clinton surrogates accosting these poor union workers in their breaks rooms after the Clinton campaign lambasted Sanders supporters for the last month for doing the exact same thing.
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