Political parties embrace Florida’s Puerto Ricans

Irma and Edwin Candelaria, who moved from Puerto Rico 28 years ago to this city south of Orlando, are registered Democrats who voted twice for George W. Bush. Now she’s leaning toward Barack Obama; he favors John McCain.

”We don’t vote Democrat or Republican. We vote for the person we think is better,” Irma Candelaria said over the hiss of machines pressing clothes at their dry cleaning store. “It’s about what I hear and how I feel.”

Voters like this up-for-grabs couple are the reason Obama made sure to visit Kissimmee, hub of the nation’s fastest-growing Puerto Rican community, last week during his first Florida campaign swing in nine months.”*

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