Eva Longoria spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. (Ron Sachs/CNP/AdMedia/Retna Ltd.)
As the countdown to the first Tuesday in November ticks on, many celebrities are making public their preferences for either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney. (Many more—wisely perhaps—are staying mum on the issue!). Here’s a look at some of the Republican and Democratic parties’ most high-profile Latina supporters.
TO OUR RIGHT…
Jaci Velasquez: If an appearance is as good as an endorsement, then the singer of “Chasing Papi” is probably a Republican; she performed at the Party’s 2004 convention.
Veronica Castro: The Mexican singer and telenovela actress has a strong pro-life stance, and introduced Texas governor and presidential hopeful Rick Perry at a right-to-life fundraiser last year. However, since she is a Mexican citizen, Castro can’t cast a ballot for Mitt Romney.
Raquel Welch: The bombshell actress was actually born Jo Raquel Tejada, the daughter of a Bolivian dad and an American mom. Despite gaining fame for appearing in a fur bikini in 1966’s One Million Years B.C. and posing nude for Playboy in 1979, Welch is a conservative Christian known to support Republican candidates.
Related Video: Michelle Obama Speaks To Mamiverse Latina Moms Nationwide
THE UNDECIDEDS
Gloria Estefan: Is she or isn’t she? Gloria Estefan has told news outlets that she is neither Republican nor Democrat. But she and husband Emilio hosted an Obama fundraiser in their home in 2008. No word as to whether they’ll continue to support the President in 2012.
AND TO OUR LEFT…
Eva Longoria: The actress and entrepreneur is regarded as the Democrat’s “golden ticket” for delivering Latino votes. She’s a co-chairperson of Obama’s reelection campaign, a high-profile “bundler”—meaning she raises large sums of money for the president by soliciting donations from friends—and she even addressed the crowd at the DNC Convention. “The Eva Longoria who worked at Wendy’s flipping burgers—she needed a tax break. But the Eva Longoria who works on movie sets does not,” she told the crowd.
Cristina Saralegui: The Cuban-American media powerhouse—she’s known as the “Hispanic Oprah”—has publicly endorsed Obama.
Jennifer Lopez: The curvaceous singer attended the 2008 Democratic Convention and spoke at a convention-related event honoring children’s activist Marian Wright Edelman.
Hmm, it looks like the Dems have the advantage when it comes to the support of high-profile Latinas.Jessica Alba, Ana Ortiz, Salma Hayek, Cameron Diaz, Sofia Vergara and Rosario Dawson have all self-identified as Democrats, and will presumably cast their votes for Obama. San Antonio Mayor and DNC keynote speaker Antonio Castro predicts that Obama will win at least 70 percent of the Latino vote. If these famous Latina’s are any indication of how the nation’s Latino vote will swing, Castro may just be right.
