It’s hard living in a state where the vote is so staunchly one-sided that it often feels like your voice isn’t being heard at all.

That’s what Arizona is like for people who support President Barack Obama – and no, I don’t mean just Democrats. I mean anyone who does.

Arizona has a long history of giving its electoral votes to the Republican candidate, so voting for Obama in this election almost feels pointless.

But according to an article in The New York Times, Arizona might not be decided for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney just yet.

The article cites the state’s large Latino population, a group of people who have historically strongly supported Obama and lean in his way in polls.

Additionally, Arizona Sen. John McCain isn’t running in the race this time, so Arizona isn’t as likely to automatically vote right.

Obama also holds sway in the states surrounding Arizona, such as California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.

However, The New York Times does point out that although the Latino community represents 30 percent of Arizona’s population, it is also one of the largest non-voting groups in the state.
There are about half a dozen more factors to consider, but the fact is, while it’s nice to think about Obama supporters in Arizona actually being able to hold some sway in the 2012 election, don’t get your hopes up.

Outside of Tucson, Republicans dominate the political scene, and they’re not giving up that position any time soon. There is a large Latino and immigrant population here, but there’s also a lot of people pushing for stricter immigration laws, and they won’t vote for a president they perceive to be lax when it comes to immigration.

Now, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go out and vote in Arizona if you support Obama, but know that his winning the popular vote in Arizona is an uphill battle – one that he’s unlikely to win.

— Jason Krell is the copy chief for the Arizona Daily Wildcat. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu or on Twitter via @Jason_Krell .