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Latino Votes Up for Grabs After Richardson Drops Out: Who Will Win?

Following New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's exit from the Democratic presidential race and with Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, nearing fast, Hillary Clinton's camp has deployed Latino leaders to speak on her behalf in California and the Southwest and is sending out mailers and starting phone banks to get the Latino vote, reports The Wall Street Journal. Latinos will be a bigger factor for Democratic candidates than Republican candidates because more Latinos are Democrats. Since California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger moved the state's primary to February from April, California has become a player in a presidential contest for the first time in decades, reports the Journal. Read Latinos' Warning to Democrats: Ignore Us Now, Pay Later to find out why these votes are so important and how they could swing the election results.

Obama Secures Kerry Endorsement, Clinton Strikes Back

Barack Obama had little time to gloat over securing Sen. John Kerry's endorsement before Hillary Clinton announced she received endorsements from two well-known Latino leaders. "Martin Luther King said that the time is always right to do what is right," Kerry said at a rally in South Carolina as he explained why he decided to back Obama, reports Reuters. "I have the confidence that Barack Obama can be, will be and should be the next president of the United States." Clinton, for her part, secured endorsements from Henry Cisneros and Edward Romero, reports the Los Angeles Times. Cisneros, the first Latino to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Romero, a former U.S. Ambassador, were prominent supporters of Bill Richardson's bid for the White House. Their endorsement of Clinton could help her win the Latino vote, especially in southwestern states with large Latino populations. Read how Obama's win in Iowa made some Black leaders nervous about their support for Clinton.

Is Ron Paul a Racist?

GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul says he had nothing to do with a series of newsletters that contain several racist remarks, including one that says order was restored to Los Angeles after the 1992 riots when Blacks went "to pick up their welfare checks," CNN reports. CNN obtained the newsletters, which were written in the '90s and one from the late '80s, after a report was published about their existence in The New Republic. "When you bring this question up, you're really saying, 'You're a racist' or 'Are you a racist?' And the answer is no, I'm not a racist," he said to CNN. Paul said he had never even read the articles. "I do repudiate everything that is written along those lines," he said. He also told CNN he wanted to "make sure everybody knew where I stood on this position because it's obviously wrong." Read more DiversityInc election coverage.

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