In truth, a range of challenges on the island have dispatched millions of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland for decades, but as early as the tail end of the 2000s, the epicenter of that relocation activity shifted from traditional places such as New York and New Jersey to the I-4 corridor in Florida. There are so many Puerto Ricans in Florida now that the state's Democratic-leaning Puerto Rican population was credited with delivering narrow but critical victories in that state to Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. In addition to the growth in Central Florida's Puerto Rican population, more recent Cuban immigrants and Cuban Americans who have never lived on the island are proving a more politically progressive group than those before them.

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All of this, of course, matters right now because Florida remains a much-sought after swing state where the 29 electoral college votes up for grabs makes every presidential candidate and campaign eager to put resources and effort into winning votes in the state. And, it appears that this demographic change is poised to deliver a possible state victory for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016. Or, at least, that's what a new Center for American Progress Action Fund-Latino Decisions poll out this week indicates.

Researchers working for the public opinion analysis firm Latino Decisions and the left-leaning Center for American Progress polled a total of 504 registered Latino voters in Florida and found that 74 percent support Clinton while 17 percent back Trump. What's more, the same voters gave Clinton a 68 percent favorable rating while Trump earned a 78 percent unfavorable rating.

The poll was conducted between Sept. 17 and 26, just before the first general election presidential debate. And, to be very clear about its potential limitations, the Center for American Progress Action Fund's board includes a number of Clinton allies. Latino Decisions is an independent polling firm where the staff maintains a firewall between its work and either of the campaigns. However, two of the firm's founders have been hired to work separately as consultants to the Clinton campaign.