WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic candidates for federal office are spending twice as much as their Republican counterparts on Spanish-language political ads, according to a survey of 10 states with large Hispanic populations.
Overall, the spending on Spanish-language ads has only marginally increased from previous election cycles, even though Hispanics make up an ever-growing share of new voters.
About 4.6 percent of advertising dollars went to Spanish-language political ads in the states reviewed.
President Barack Obama's campaign has dedicated about 9 percent of its ad budget to Spanish-language ads, while Republican nominee Mitt Romney has dedicated about 4 percent.
The difference is most striking in House races where Democratic candidates and groups have invested about 12 percent of their ad dollars in Spanish-language ads, while Republican House campaigns have invested less than 1 percent.
