Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to determine if there exists a “Latino vote,” i.e., a cohesive Hispanic voting bloc with distinct voting patterns and policy concerns. It traces the growth rate of the Hispanic population and describes significant changes in its major characteristics since 1970, when the rapid growth of this population begins, through 2015. The book describes several processes that have resulted in the creation of a Latino panethnicity and have resulted in a new American ethnic group. It analyzes the degree to which the level of Americanization, holding all else constant, is empirically related to political behaviors and a wide range of sentiments, beliefs, and policy preferences between 1990 and 2016. The book shows that the Latino policy agenda is not identical to the American mainstream’s national agenda.