The New American Electorate: The Growing Political Power of Immigrants and Their Children

It seems that at a time when a number of political candidates are locked in ferocious competition for the ballots of “voting blocs” that might turn the electoral tide in their favor, one large and growing bloc of voters has been consistently overlooked and politically underestimated: New Americans.

Who will be this election cycle's Soccer Mom's or Hockey Dads?

Experts at yesterday's briefing in Washington, which was sponsored in part by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute may have the answer.

Note: We interviewed CHCI Chairman, California Congressman Joe Baca, earlier this summer in Albuquerque at the opening of a Barack Obama field office in the South Valley. Listen to it here)

The American Immigration Law Foundation - Immigration Policy Center has released a report "The New American Electorate: The Growing Political Power of Immigrants and Their Children."

The report examines the growing electoral clout of not only immigrants who are naturalized U.S. citizens, but also the U.S.-born children of immigrants who were raised during the current era of immigration from Latin America and Asia that began in 1965.

On Thursday, the report's authors joined in a panel discussion moderated by Angela Kelley and broadcast on CSPAN.

The group's briefing provides insight into the ranks of New American voters, along with Latino and Asian voters, who have been growing rapidly this decade and will likely play a pivotal role in elections at all levels in the years to come—particularly in battleground states like Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and here in New Mexico.

Watch this CSPAN report on the group's briefing here.