Three recent polls of Latino voters show how the current immigration debate—including the national attention to Arizona’s anti-immigrant law—has dramatically influenced Latino voters’ view of political candidates, as well as their propensity to vote in November.

As the Department of Justice sues to block Arizona law, pollsters analyze the public’s views and the political implications. Recent dial-testing research conducted by Westen Strategies and recent bipartisan polling conducted by Lake Research Partners and Public Opinion Strategies sheds light on the important question of where the public stands as the immigration debate heats up.

This poll of 1,608 voters was conducted by Hart Research Associates in AR, CO, MO, and OH from April 14 – 18, 2010. While the survey was conducted on rough political terrain for Democrats, it clearly shows that Democrats have reason to engage in the immigration debate head on.

After the 2010 Census, new Members of Congress in states like Georgia and South Carolina as well as Arizona and Texas will owe their positions, in part, to the expanding Latino population. In states whose Congressional delegations are shrinking overall, Latino voters are gaining power as they expand their share of the electorate.