Among diverse presidential field, policy issues priority for Latino voters, KU expert says

LAWRENCE — Pundits have called the field of announced and likely 2016 presidential candidates the most diverse in history.

Political strategists have speculated on how a nomination of Hillary Clinton, Marco Rubio or other potential candidates could influence certain voter demographics.

Some candidates are already seeking to court women and Latino voters as they reference issues such as economic inequality, unemployment, immigration and citizenship policy, education and the U.S. relationship with Cuba.

Christina Bejarano, a University of Kansas associate professor of political science, is available to talk about U.S. politics. Her work focuses on women and Latinos in U.S. electoral politics, both their voting trends and political candidates. She has written two books: "The Latino Advantage: Gender, Race and Political Success" and "The Latino Gender Gap in U.S. Politics."

"Both the candidates and the campaign policies are important," Bejarano said. "But the policy issues take priority with Latino voters."