The Republican National Committee (RNC) knows the Latino vote is needed to win the next presidential election, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is hoping to engage and attract the electorate.

Ahead of Rubio's "big announcement" scheduled for April 13, GOP pollster Whit Ayres said the Republican Party needs to win more than 40 percent of the Latino vote in 2016 in order to regain the White House. Ayres will reportedly also work for Rubio's presidential campaign.

According to the National Journal during a Christian Science Monitor breakfast event, Ayres said, "A Republican nominee is going to need to be somewhere in the mid-40s or better among Hispanic voters."

In comparison to the 2012 presidential election, then-GOP candidate Mitt Romney won 27 percent of the Latino vote, which was lower than Sen. John McCain's, R-Arizona, 31 percentage rate during the 2008 presidential election.

In the RNC's "Growth and Opportunity Project" report, the committee acknowledged the need to campaign among the Latino community and "demonstrate we care about them, too." The RNC noted policy is an important step to appeal to Latino voters.

"If Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States (i.e. self-deportation), they will not pay attention to our next sentence. It does not matter what we say about education, jobs or the economy; if Hispanics think we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies," the report continued.

While the RNC is not a policy committee, the organization recognized the need to "embrace and champion" comprehensive immigration reform to help appeal to Latino voters.

"If we do not, our Party's appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only," said the report. "We also believe that comprehensive immigration reform is consistent with Republican economic policies that promote job growth and opportunity for all."

As Latin Post reported, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said the GOP will have an engagement campaign geared toward the Latino community.

"It's up to us, the national party, to make sure we have Hispanic Republicans in areas with large Hispanic populations," Priebus said at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "As you know, more than 60,000 Hispanics turn 18 each month. If we don't talk to these new or independent voters, how will they ever hear from Republicans?"

Meanwhile, Rubio has confirmed he will make an announcement on April 13 in Miami and offering tickets to eligible individuals to attend.

"On Monday, April 13th, I'm making a big announcement about my fight to reclaim America," said a post on Rubio's official Facebook page, not associated with his Senate Facebook account.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter:@EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.