ABSTRACT
In describing the 1996 presidential election, the New York Times declared the northeastern United States the setting for "politics as usual" ("In the Northeast: Politics as Usual" 1996). For President Clinton and the Democratic party, this meant continued electoral dominance as voters confirmed early expectations of sweeping victories across the region. For Latinos, it meant virtual representation, persistent invisibility, and marginal participation. The role they played in the Connecticut and Massachusetts races was negligible, a conclusion that is glaringly obvious even after the most superficial analysis. This chapter begins by providing a brief portrait of Latinos based on selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. This is followed by a discussion of their status in terms of political representation. The Clinton campaign in Connecticut was a chronicle of a victory foretold. Clinton's support was broad, but not enthusiastic. His negative ads were more frequent and nastier than Dole's.
