Latino stars come out for Obama

MIAMI, June 29 (UPI) -- A handful of Latino musicians, actors and celebrities are urging their fans to support Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Latino celebrities are becoming involved in the 2008 White House race to an unprecedented degree this year, The Miami Herald reported Sunday.

The Pew Hispanic Center reports 18.2 million Latinos are eligible to vote.

The celebrities are able to reach easily the 7.3 million Hispanics under 35, the newspaper said.

Latino superstars such as Juanes, the Colombian rocker, and Los Tigres del Norte from Mexico are urging fans at their concerts to register to vote, while Dominican merengue legend Juan Luis Guerra and Mexican rockers Mana played a benefit concert in Miami in March to benefit a national campaign to increase citizenship and voter registration among Hispanics.

There has been no reported groundswell of support among Latino stars for Republican nominee John McCain.

But just because voters like a group's music doesn't mean they will follow their political recommendations, analysts say.

"The independents are not going to be swayed by videos chanting Obama. They're going to be swayed by the issues," said Tico Perez, an Orlando political commentator.