Evangelical Latinos still undecided on the presidential candiates
In South Daytona Beach, Florida, on a recent evening a tune of Christian Latin pop music was played inside the Christian church, the Ministerio Apostolico Avance Misionero.
Expressions of profound love and strong faith in Jesus Christ was the ultimate message of the lyrics of the song. On a Wednesday night church service, devout believers lift up their hands to the heavens to signal the start of the service, while the music played.
In the Daytona Beach area, stood the Mninisterio Apostolico which served the heightened Hispanic community. On this region, laid the starting point of the so-called Highway 1-4 corridor that stretched from Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean with Orlando in between.
The region was known to be the home of the second largest and more diversified for being the focal point of Latinos in Florida, next to Miami. The area of concentration extends to the southern part where the majority of them were Cuban Americans.
Yoan Hechavarria, the head of Ministerio Apostolico, said that they have people consist of about 15 diverse cultures in their congregation. He added that Daytona was part of a bigger church in Jacksonville.
Hechavarria admitted that politics were not part of the pastor's liturgy. Furthermore, he disclosed that presidential election came upon as subject of conversation but only before and after the service.
In addition, the head of the Ministerio, pointed out that they had an obligation to be attuned and to be informed concerning the politics of the country.
According to the study of the City University of New York, about 20 million Latinos are registered voters in Florida. Commissioned by CNN en Español, the study also showed that about 20 % of Latinos will cast their votes in the state on 8 November. It further said that from the 1-4 corridor comes the anticipated 5,000,000 votes, CNN said.
A report from Pew Research Center showed that the number of evangelical Latinos has risen up. Meanwhile, it was found that in 2013 16% percent of Latinos were identified as evangelicals. It has noted that there was an increase from 2010, which was only 13% of the identified Latino evangelists, CUNY study verified.
For the GOP, the growth would be a good news for they would surely enjoy and benefit the backing of the religious right. In 2006, the Latinos led among the voters in Florida which the Republican Party had enjoyed. Way back, Latino electorate consist the 37% registered Republican.
However, this year it dropped to 26% registered Republican affiliation as compared to the registered Democrats which is comprised of 39%. On the other hand, voters registered as independent signifies 33%.
Though the Republican Party honed the conservative values which was their ticket that appealed to the evangelicals, it was noted that it won't be the same this year for the party's presidential candidate. According to Hechavarria, his church members were confused because none of the presidential nominees offered them a clear choice.
Hechavarria reiterated that as Christians they used to be more inclined to adopt and support the Republican Party, yet Donald Trump doesn't exhibit our values. He added that while he perceived that Hillary Clinton seemed to qualify a seat in the White House, the nominee's views on social concerns are not aligned with his, specifically on abortion and same-sex marriages.
An army veteran, Harry de Jesus, who worships at Ministerio Apostolico, said that his top priorities upon picking a president were the security of the country and veteran's care. He added that Trump would be better at handling them, but contempt the offensive comments Trump has made about woman and immigrants. Moreover, he said that being a father of girls he can't condone him.
De Jesus pointed that Clinton cannot count on him as he rejected to vote Trump. He said that aside from disagreeing Clinton about her stand on abortion and same-sex marriage, he didn't find her to be honest even before she ran as the presidential nominee. He added that Clinton is hiding a lot in the curtains.
Samuel Peinand, a Ministerio Apostolico church goer also find Clinton's dishonesty but would like to give her a chance. He said he persuade to vote for her not of her ideas but of her expertise.
Carmen Santiago won't reject Trump, she thinks that if elected as president the Republican candidate could change. She believes that the Almighty can transform anyone. She said if Trump would confess before Him, the Lord will change his ways.
Coraly Rivera, 20, a choir member in Ministerio Apostolico said that her voice can only be heard on church gatherings but not on the election. Her political voice won't be heard this November for she believed that none of the candidate deserved her vote. "I know I have a responsibility as a citizen but none of the candidates match my beliefs," Rivera said.
One thing that the church will all agree on is that they would pray for the success of whomever is sworn in next January as president.
This year to get people to the polls is perhaps the biggest challenge for both parties.
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