Poll says Protestant Latinos favor Obama

Protestant Latinos, a growing group of voters who were key supporters of President Bush in 2004, have shifted their backing to Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, driven in large part by anger toward Republican immigration policies, according to a poll released Thursday. Latinos overall represent about 6% of U.S. voters. Protestant Latinos -- about a third of all Latinos -- heavily supported Bush’s reelection. This year, however, just over half of these voters support Obama for president; a third said they would vote for Republican Sen. John McCain. More than 80% of Protestant Latinos, who tend to identify themselves as evangelicals, said the candidates’ positions on immigration would be central to their vote this year, according to the survey.