Pollsters survey N.M.'s Latino voters

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - It appears president Obama is gaining back some ground in the presidential race after last night's debate, and in New Mexico it looks like he's far ahead, at least among Latino voters.

A new poll released Wednesday focused solely on Latino voters.

With Latinos making up 46.7 percent of New Mexico's population, it's a good indication as to which way New Mexico will go.

The survey interviewed 400 registered voters and asked whom they would likely vote for in the presidential election.

Sixty-nine percent said President Obama; 24 percent said former Gov. Mitt Romney.

And when asked about the job Obama is doing 41 percent said they strongly approve while 22 percent said they strongly disapprove.

Voters were also asked what issues are facing the Hispanic community that Congress and the president need to address:

• 47 percent said the economy and unemployment
• 30 percent said immigration reform
• 18 percent said health care

The survey also talked about Romney's criticism of the homeland security policy to provide work permits to undocumented youth who attend college. Forty-six percent said it made them less enthusiastic about Romney.

This poll was conducted by Latino Decisions for America's Voice between Oct. 3 and Oct. 10. The last presidential debate fell in the middle of that on Oct. 4.

The race for the U.S. Senate between Democratic Rep. Martin Heinrich and Republican former Rep. Heather Wilson is much closer.

The polling shows Heinrich still has about 57 percent of Latino's support. Wilson has 35 percent.

The poll also revealed that aside from the economy and unemployment, immigration is a huge issue among New Mexico voters.

"That is either the most important or second most important in their voting trends," said Gabriel Sanchez, a University of New Mexico political science professor. "I think that is surprising being that we typically think of California, Texas and California as hotbed immigration states, not New Mexico.

"But Latino voters here are telling us that matter to us as well."

Another interesting finding from the poll: 70 percent of Latino voters support driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants, but most of them believe there need to be some tougher restrictions.