NBC/WSJ Poll Shows Obama With Huge Lead Among Hispanics

Even as some Hispanic Democrats are putting pressure on Sen. Barack Obama today and as Sen. John McCain grabs attention for some Spanish-language ads, the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released in the paper this AM shows Sen. Obama with a commanding lead over Sen. McCain among Hispanic voters (62-28%). McCain faces a significant uphill climb among Hispanic voters in this political environment. The survey finds Obama with an 6-point national advantage among all voters (47-41%).

WSJ reporter Jackie Calmes reports:

Some good news for the likely Democratic nominee: Despite suggestions during the nomination contest that many Hispanics and Hillary Clinton supporters wouldn't support him, the poll shows both groups overwhelmingly do.

More Calmes:

To Sen. Obama's advantage, the Journal/NBC poll results seem to debunk two widely held conclusions from the Democrats' nomination contest. Exit polls of Democratic voters suggested many of Sen. Clinton's supporters wouldn't vote for Sen. Obama in November if he is the Democratic nominee. In particular, pro-Clinton Hispanics were generally thought to be cold to Sen. Obama.

In the poll, however, voters who chose Sen. Clinton in the primaries said by a 3-to-1 ratio, 61% to 19%, that they plan to vote for Sen. Obama over Sen. McCain in November. "Hillary's embrace of Obama really made a difference," Mr. Newhouse says.

By 62% to 28%, Hispanic voters support Sen. Obama. "That does not bode well for Republicans" in the Southwest, the Republican pollster added, in swing states such as Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado, where Hispanic voters are numerous enough to tip the result. Sen. McCain, who comes from a state with a large Hispanic population and has favored liberalizing policies toward illegal immigrants, has hopes of matching Mr. Bush's record of winning more than 40% of Hispanic voters.