Gov. Dan Malloy showed Tuesday how crucial it is to court the Latino vote in Connecticut.
He campaigned with Puerto Rican Gov. Alejandro Garcia-Padillo in several Connecticut cities on Tuesday, including Waterbury, Hartford and New Britain.
"We're looking to increase the turnout," Malloy said during a stop at La Cazuela Restaurant in Waterbury. "Last time around, the turnout was about 6 percent of all voters and we want to get it to 8 percent."
Addi Salazar, who owns the restaurant with her husband, said bringing the governor of Puerto Rico to Waterbury sends a message to the Latino community that the election doesn't just matter to Democrats and Republicans, it matters to everyone.
“Latinos need to come out there and vote," Salazar said. "It’s very important.”
Garcia-Padillo said he anticipates the Latino vote to swing for Malloy purely based on the way the governors were received as they campaigned around some of Connecticut's most densely populated Latino neighborhoods.
"I was able to see Latinos and Americans, veterans, going to him and saying, you know, you got me," Garcia-Padillo explained.
Politics
Latinos make up approximately 15 percent of Connecticut's population, according to the most recent U.S. census, and about 10 percent of all registered voters.
Republicans and Democrats are expected to court them aggressively over the final seven days.
