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CosmicRocker · 05-21-2008, 10:20 AM

Obama visits to win over Kissimmee Hispanics
Victor Manuel Ramos |Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer

May 21, 2008
Sen. Barack Obama is meeting with voters in Kissimmee's Puerto Rican community today in his first direct attempt to reach out to Florida Hispanics since June's forum for presidential candidates.

But to woo Hispanics, Obama will have to overcome the skepticism of leaders, activists and voters in the state who already had aligned themselves with Hillary Clinton, whose campaign announced Tuesday that she will visit South Florida today.

"I am loyal to Hillary because I already endorsed her," said state Rep. Darren Soto, whose district includes Buenaventura Lakes, a largely Puerto Rican neighborhood in Osceola. "That being said, it's good for whoever the nominee is going to be to make inroads with Hispanics in Florida."

Armando Ramirez, a Puerto Rican activist running for a county-board seat in Osceola's District 3, said he is going to hear what Obama has to say today. But he is concerned that the local Democratic Party's involvement setting up the town hall could be perceived as an endorsement of Obama's candidacy before a nominee is proclaimed.

•What: Town-hall meeting with Barack Obama.

•Where: Kissimmee Civic Center, 201 E. Dakin Ave.

•When: Today. Doors open at 3:30p.m. for those with tickets. Program begins at 5p.m.

"I talk to voters, and it's overwhelming how the Hispanic voters are supporting Hillary all the way. We have to be careful and at least be neutral for now," Ramirez said. 'We are excited'

Michael Harford, vice chairman of the Osceola County Democratic Party, said the organization would be willing to help Clinton's campaign organize a similar meeting if it wishes.

"We are excited to have either of the senators come to Osceola County, because we feel it will help us in the fall," Harford said.

The stakes are high. Nationally, Obama has sought to build support among Hispanics in battleground states also targeted by Sen. John McCain, the expected Republican presidential nominee. In Florida, 418,339 Hispanic voters are registered Democrats, compared with 415,086 who are Republicans.

In the January primary, exit polls showed that Clinton beat Obama 2-to-1 among the state's Hispanics. Both candidates chose to avoid campaigning in Florida in a pact to abide by the Democratic National Committee's rules.

As word spread of Obama's afternoon stop at the Kissimmee Civic Center -- an invitation-only event coordinated by Obama's campaign with the help of Osceola County Democrats -- many in Central Florida's Hispanic community were lining up to attend.

Samuel Lopez, chair of the Florida Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne, said he was running out of the 150 tickets his organization received because many constituents had called to request them.

Representatives from 12 Puerto Rican business chambers were expected to attend, he said. Among the issues those leaders want to discuss are trade with Puerto Rico; the island's status as a U.S. territory or state; and the environmental cleanup pending in Vieques, the Puerto Rican island that was used by the U.S. military as a bombing range.

Other local Hispanic leaders said they also want to hear about Obama's plan to fix the ailing economy and address health-care needs.

"We have a lot of people going. We are very excited about it," said Lopez, an Obama supporter. "The wonderful thing about this is that, finally, we are getting to meet a candidate who wants to hear us. We have had a lot of trouble having access to candidates and elected officials in the past, and here we have someone saying, 'You know what? I am willing to listen.' "

Puerto Ricans, who number nearly 220,000 in Metro Orlando and more than 680,000 statewide, have emerged as a Democratic-leaning counterbalance to the bulk of Cuban voters in South Florida who have traditionally supported Republican candidates.

The Florida Democratic Party announced earlier this month that, after decades of Republican dominance over Hispanic voters, Democrats have recruited more Hispanics to their ranks.