TAMPA — In a nondescript strip mall in suburban Tampa, with a green “Space Available” sign still hanging above the doorway, lies a small battlefield in the tug-of-war for Hispanic voters in Florida.
The Republican National Committee Hispanic Community Center is only one room, but its 1,500 square feet represent much more to the GOP. It’s part of a larger effort to prove the party’s year-round commitment to historically liberal minority communities whose voters Republicans say the Democrats have taken for granted.
Hispanics in Florida — a diverse group that includes left-leaning Puerto Ricans, reliably conservative Cuban voters and many others with unique political nuances from Mexico, South America and more — have long trended Democratic overall. But there are growing signs Republicans are turning the tide — and quickly.
