Does Villaraigosa's Win Signal Rise in Latino Power?

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Latinos have just passed blacks as the largest minority in America. That makes last week-s mayoral election in Los Angeles particularly timely and significant. City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa scored a landslide 59%-to-41% victory over incumbent Jim Hahn, positioning him alongside New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and a few others as Latinos on the national political stage. Will Latinos around the country use Villaraigosa's victory as a springboard for their own power and public image at home? Is it a time for burgeoning Latino influence or the forming of multi-ethnic coalitions? Guest hosts Diana Nyad gets perspective from journalists, political scientists and advocates working to empower Latinos. (An extended version of this discussion was broadcast earlier today on To the Point.)
Guest host Diana Nyad, who was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002 as the world record-holder for the longest swim without the aid of a cage -- from Bimini to Florida, 102.5 miles! -- is a business sports columnist for Marketplace, has served as senior sports correspondent for Fox News, and has hosted her own show on CNBC. She's also the author of three books, Other Shores, Basic Training and The Keyshawn Johnson Story.

Other politicians mentioned in today's program:

Former LA Mayor Tom Bradley
LA City Councilman Martin Ludlow
LA City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo
California Assemblywoman Karen Bass
Fernando Ferrer's New York mayoral campaign
Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez
California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nu-ez

Mayoral candidate/Mayor-elect

City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa

Los Angeles Times Election Day Exit Poll

Election statistics from Center for the Study of Los Angeles

California's Proposition 187, NewsHour program on

Univisi-n Communications

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton