By the numbers: the Hispanic wave.

• Position: TRENDS - Brief article

Hispanics are the largest and fastest-growing ethnic minority in the nation. Both political parties wooed them heavily before the midterms and will likely do so more ardently in the run-up to 2016. Traditionally, Hispanics have been reliably Democratic, but Republicans are making inroads.

54 million

U.S. Hispanic population, or 17 percent of the total U.S. population

11%

Share of U.S. voters who are Hispanic

8%

Share of Hispanic voters who voted in the midterms

40%

Portion who voted for GOP gubernatorial candidates in Texas and Georgia in the midterms

62%

Portion who voted for Democratic U.S. House candidates, compared to 36 percent for Republicans

49%

Share who said the economy was the most important issue facing the country

Two-thirds

Portion who say passing immigration legislation soon is extremely...