McCain woos some Hispanics, others see baggage

By Tim Gaynor

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Arturo Leyva has voted Democratic in the past, like many U.S. Hispanics. This year, the candidate catching his eye happens to be a Republican: John McCain.

"He has a lot to offer Hispanics, and I think I may vote for him," Leyva, 45, said at his cellular phone store in central Phoenix.

U.S. Hispanic support for the Republican Party, small but growing steadily over the past decade, has ebbed in the past year, following a bruising battle over illegal immigration.

Republican lawmakers last June sank a comprehensive immigration bill -- co-sponsored by McCain -- that would have created a path to citizenship for many of the 12 million mostly Hispanic undocumented immigrants in the United States.

However, Hispanic voters may see a sympathetic candidate in the Arizona senator, some analysts say.

"Hispanic voters have not yet gelled for any candidate yet. In this election it is up for grabs," said Paul Brace, a political science professor at Rice University.

"The interest among Hispanics may be more in John McCain the man than in the Republican Party," he added.

The Arizona senator faces either Democratic Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton in the November election, who have majority support among the 18 million or so eligible Latino voters, according to the most recent survey.

Hispanics like Leyva, 45, say they like the fact that McCain teamed with Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy on the immigration bill, which was later killed by the Republicans.

Others say they find common ground with his anti-abortion record -- an issue for Latinos, many of whom are Roman Catholics -- together with his support for small businesses and the U.S. military, in which many Hispanics serve.

"His values are the same as, rather similar to, our values," said Ramon Perez, 42, an electrician in Los Angeles who has voted Democratic but now is weighing his options.

"I will vote for Hillary, and if not her, then maybe McCain."

TIME FOR A CHANGE

In the last general election four years ago, exit polls found that Hispanic turnout for President George W. Bush picked up by several points over his first win in 2000, although Hispanic support subsequently eroded.

A report by the Pew Hispanic Center in December, before McCain emerged as the Republican front-runner, found that just 23 percent of Hispanic registered voters called themselves Republicans -- 5 points fewer than in 2006.