Almost half (49 percent) of Latino voters say President Obama’s action to halt deportations and provide work permits for undocumented immigrant youth makes them more enthusiastic about Obama, according to a new poll. Fourteen percent say it makes them less enthusiastic.
According to the new survey, conducted by Hispanic polling firm Latino Decisionsand the immigration reform advocacy group America’s Voice, that is a 35-point “enthusiasm advantage” for President Obama among Latino registered voters. This is in contrast to an early 2012 poll, when more than half of Latinos (53 percent) were less enthusiastic about the President, while only 30 percent were more enthusiastic about the President.
According to the new poll, “the announcement on June 14 appears to have clearly erased Obama’s enthusiasm deficit among Latinos.”
The new poll also asked Latino registered voters their views on whether undocumented immigrants should “self-deport,” and whether the Arizona immigration law should be a model for the nation – both comments made by Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Fifty-nine percent said the statements made them less enthusiastic about Romney, while 10 percent said it made them more enthusiastic. According to the poll, then, Romney has an ”enthusiasm” disadvantage of 49 points among Latino registered voters.
[...] Cruz criticized the president’s announcement on Friday which would give work visas to some DREAM Act-eligible undocumented immigrants. [...]