Attitudes Towards Candidate Traits: The Case of Latinos in Dallas

Abstract

This paper evaluates a Latino voter’s attitudes towards a candidate’s race and gender. This research uses data gathered in the Dallas County during the historical 2008 presidential election. The data used was obtained from 767 exit polls at precincts located in the 103 and 104 districts in Texas. The data captured the public opinion of the ever-growing Latino city and a county that are under a major demographic transition. The survey unfolds a combination of socio-economic, demographic and cultural variables that are predicted by theory to be significant influencers of a voter’s attitudes towards a political candidate’s traits. I evaluate how well the socio-economic, demographic and cultural predictors explain a Latino’s attitudes towards an African American, a Latino and a woman candidate. This paper is also one of the few existing works that looks at Latinos attitudes towards an African American candidate. The findings from the 2008 presidential election may allow us to explore Latino attitudes towards an African American, Latino and/or woman candidates.