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The 2016 Presidential Election Might Literally Hinge Upon Pitbull

As Pitbull goes, so goes the nation.

Image via Wiki Commons

BuzzFeed News reports that the Democratic and Republican parties are currently waging war over the affections of human bottle of Bud Light Platinum/popular rapper Pitbull. Though Pitbull endorsed Obama in 2012, Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush would very much like Pitbull, real name Armando Pérez, to endorse him. As Republican strategist Ana Navarro told BuzzFeed, "It'd be professional negligence not to (endorse Bush). Armando is Mr. 305 and well, that's Jeb's area code, too." Meanwhile, Democrats have made the case the Pitbull should stay on their team, with one Democrat telling Buzzfeed, "Pitbull, a Latino icon, siding with anti-immigrants? Sorry, I simply can't picture that with a Kodak."

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Why, all of a sudden, are Republicans and Democrats fighting over Pitbull? Well, Pitbull might actually the key to the entire election. How? In addition to being the most visible Latin-American member of the hip-hop community, Pitbull is one of the most popular Floridians both in the nation and his home state. According to the 2014 census, roughly one quarter of Florida's population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. Which is to say, if Pitbull—who champions his Cuban and Miami heritages over all else—endorses you, there are a whole hell of a lot of people who will listen to him.

Meanwhile, immigration—which is an issue the Republican Party has historically struggled with—will in all likelihood be a key issue in the 2016 election. Jeb Bush, who served as Florida's governor from 1999 to 2007, has been especially key in opening the party up to Hispanics by softening his party's traditionally hard-line stance on immigration. He publicly supports more lax immigration policy—a key issue among Latino communities—and serves on the advisory committee of the Hispanic Leadership Network, which according to its website, "Works and strategizes with Hispanic leaders across the country to issue conservative policy recommendations based on solid research that will support the advancement of the Hispanic community in education, jobs and small business, homeownership, family values and immigration."

If Bush were to become the Republican Party's 2016 Presidential Candidate and Pitbull were to endorse him, it's likely that Pit—who is, again, extremely popular and powerful in Florida, a crucial swing state—it is likely that he would win Florida's 29 electoral college votes. Historically, the Presidency tends to go to whichever candidate wins Florida. This includes 2012, when Pitbull endorsed Barack Obama and introduced him at a rally in Hollywood, Florida. Which is to say, as Pitbull goes, so goes Florida. As Florida goes, so goes the nation. Ergo, the results of the 2016 Presidential Election may very literally hinge upon Pitbull.

Of course, Pitbull doesn't have to endorse anybody, in which case all bets are off. In a statement to BuzzFeed, Pit said, "I'm not here to be part of any political party. I'm here to bring political parties to my party because they can't, they won't, they never will stop the Pitbull party, Dale!"

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