“Latinos see her as a symbol of Hispanic leadership in America,” said Lionel Sosa, a Latino political strategist who has advised several presidential candidates on Hispanic outreach, including McCain. “If they vote against Sotomayor, it’s a vote against Hispanic leadership in America. That’s the way Latino voters will see it.”

Others disagreed, saying there was little to be gained by trying to appease Latinos by voting simply based on ethnicity. “It is insulting that Hispanics would believe a Hispanic nominee must be approved solely because of her ethnicity and not on the merits of her achievements, impartiality and judicial philosophy,” said Alex Castellanos, a Cuban American strategist who advises the Republican National Committee.

Some Republicans said there is no monolithic Latino vote, with only a few states in which Latinos make up a critical segment of ballots.