This book examines why the 1996 elections seemed to offer unique opportunities for Latino communities. It assesses how the scholarship on U.S. presidential elections has characterized the Latino contributions to campaigns and elections and analyzes the results of the election.

List of Tables – Acknowledgments – Part l -- National Overview: United States 1996 ( 1 Awash in the Mainstream: Latinos and the 1996 Elections, Louis DeSipio, Rodolfo O. de la Garza, and Mark Setzler 2 Targeting the Latino Vote: The Democratic Party's 1996 Mass-Communication Strategy, Federico A. Suberoi-Velez and Stacey L. Connaughton) -- Part2 -- The Old Reliables: Mexican Americans in Small Western States (3 Recognizing Reliability: Hispanos and the 1996 Elections in New Mexico, F. Chris Garcia and Bianca Sapien 4 Similar Behavior, Different Results: Latinos and the 1996 Elections in Colorado, Rodney E. Hero, Patricia A. Jaramillo, and John C. Halpin 5 Less Is More: Latinos in the 1996 Election in Arizona, Manuel Avalos) -- Part3 -- The Must Wins: Key States with Large, Long-term Latino Electorates (6 Sefior Smith Didn't Go to Washington: Latinos and the 1996 Texas Elections, Lisa J. Montoya 7 California Latino Politics and the 1996 Elections: From Potential to Reality, Harry P. Pachon, with Lupe Sanchez and Dennis Falcon) -- Part4 -- The New Kids on the Block: Key States with New and Potentially Influential Latino Electorates (8 Election? What Election? Illinois Latinos and the 1996 Election, Louis DeSipio 9 Pragmatism and Strategic Realignment in the 1996 Election: Florida's Cuban Americans, Dario Moreno and Christopher Warren 211 10 Beyond La Macarena? New York City Puerto Rican, Dominican, and South American Voters in the 1996 Election, Angelo Falcon 239 11 Beyond Politics as Usual: Latinos and the 1996 Connecticut and Massachusetts Presidential Race, Jose E. Cruz) -- About the Editors and Contributors – Index.