Republicans still appear to have some distance to cover before they capture a majority of the Hispanic vote in any big state.

They want to see if the Hispanic vote continues to be a factor in future elections.

"More than any other time, the Hispanic vote is really being looked at," he said.

His advisers have said the president needs 40 percent of the Hispanic vote to win.

Nationally, both major parties want to capture the Hispanic vote this fall and in 2004.

It also derives from a growing fear of the Hispanic vote.

For many politicians, it was an opportunity to court the Hispanic vote.

If there ever was such a thing as a "Hispanic vote," it doesn't exist now.

A strong Hispanic vote in the city is vital to her election.

The Hispanic vote has never been all that important in the presidential primary process.