Presidential Polls 2012: Latinos Favor Obama By Huge Margin In Crucial Swing States

New polls after the first presidential debate show President Obama with a decisive lead among Latino voters in crucial swing states.

The polls show 78 percent of Hispanics in Nevada support the president, compared to 17 percent support for Romney.

Obama leads Romney in Florida as well, with 61 percent favoring him over 31 percent who support Romney.

This is even after the president's disastrous showing in the first debate, his first head-to-head bout against Romney.

Last week, a Telemundo/NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed the president with a 50-point lead over Romney among Latino voters nationwide.

A CNN poll showed similar results. "Obama enjoys the backing of 70% of likely Latino voters, according to the CNN/ORC International survey, slightly higher than the 67% of Latinos who voted for him in 2008. Republican nominee John McCain garnered 31% of the 2008 Latino vote. In 2004, 53% of Latinos went for the Democratic nominee John Kerry over the 44% who went for President George W. Bush, according to national exit polls," said CNN.

"In Tuesday's poll, Romney wins support from 26% of Latino voters questioned."

Whatever the result in November's election, Hispanic support will be a growing issue for the Republican party. Latinos are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the country, and also the youngest. Both minority and young voters skew heavily Democratic.

Since 1994, the number of registered Latino voters has swelled to 11 million, many of them in swing states.

Romney's positions also win him little support among Hispanic voters. He stated last week that he would end the president's program deferring deportation for young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, providing they demonstrate their willingness to complete high school or military service. The deferments come with two-year work visas that Romney likely wouldn't renew when they expire.

Romney and the Republicans have also been staunch opponents of the DREAM Act, a proposed bill that would create a path to citizenship for immigrants eligible for the deferment program.