Long-term challenge

The effort is smart strategically for the Democrats, and long overdue, said Eduardo Gamarra, a political science professor at Florida International University, and founder of the Latino Public Opinion Forum at FIU’s School of International and Public Affairs.

He doesn’t think it will pay off quickly. “It’s late. They should have already been doing this, not starting in an election year,” Gamarra said.

“The Democratic Party in Florida is trying to do things today that it should have been doing for the last decade,” Gamarra said. “What they’re doing is interesting. It’s good. … Maybe we’re talking about the fruits of this are not going to be felt in November, they’re going to be felt years from now — if they continue to do it.”

Too often what happens, Gamarra said, is that the party makes an effort in the ramp up to an election, and “it’s all over” immediately after the election season.

“I think it’s a good approach, but I don’t think that you’re going to get an immediate result,” Gamarra said. “If they’re willing to invest long term, and if they’re willing to wait longterm, I think you’re going to see some pretty good results. This year is going to be a very difficult one to see some immediate results to the strategy.”

Making the challenge more difficult for Florida Democrats is that national party strategists and donors don’t see Florida as a swing state, and they can win the presidency without the state’s electoral votes. That means it’s less likely for national financial support to help fund outreach efforts to Hispanics or any other voters.

Diaz emphasized that it’s a long game.

“I don’t really believe in short-term. I think you’ve got to commit long-term if you’re going to go after the Hispanic market,” she said.