Hispanic growth and politics

AP/Houston Chronicle:

The number of Hispanics in the United States rose by 1.4 million over a years's time to 45.5 million as of last July, continuing rapid growth that could increase their influence.

This election year has focused more attention on how much it is increasing.

The top 10 states that saw the growth rates in their populations were in the Southeast, according to new census data released Thursday.

South Carolina topped the list with an 8.7 percent increase, gaining 13,569 Hispanics, according to an analysis of the Census data by William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution. The state's total Hispanic population was 168,920 last July 1, a 76 percent increase from July 2000.

Other Southeastern states that saw increases are Tennessee, with 8.1 percent growth; North Carolina, 7.8 percent; Georgia, 7.1 percent; Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky, 7 percent; Arkansas, 6.8; Louisiana, 6.5 percent. Florida had a 3.6 percent gain, which ranked 37th among states.

For the second consecutive year, Texas accounted for more of the gains in the numbers of Hispanics than California. Texas' share was about 21.2 percent of the additional Hispanics in 2007, while California's share was 18.5., according to Frey's analysis. But California still leads in total number of Hispanics with 13.2 million, compared to Texas' 8.6 million.

With those increases boosting Hispanics to 15.1 percent of the U.S. population, voting booths are being watched closely this year for Hispanic turnout.

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The reason this growth will have little immediate political impact is that babies and illegals can't vote. Long term it could and probably will have an impact. If this growth is assimilated it will be a positive thing for the country. If it is not, it will be divisive.