Although the polls among Latino voters are favoring Mayor Michael Bloomberg, there is still room for a "surprise" in the November 3 election results, according to sources consulted by this newspaper.

The survey published by Quinnipiac University on September 24 showed Bloomberg with 52 percent of the vote and his opponent, Democrat Bill Thompson, currently the City Comptroller, with 36 percent of the votes among all possible voters in the city.

While surveyed Latino voters favored Bloomberg (53 percent to 37 percent), African-Americans are supporting Thompson (53 percent to 35 percent). Whites support Bloomberg with an advantage of 62 percent to 26 percent.

Another survey published Tuesday, October 13, by SurveyUSA, changed the numbers among Latinos, showing 61 percent supporting Bloomberg and 38 percent supporting Thompson.

"There has not been a direct message to Latinos from either of the candidates," said Angelo Falcón, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy. "The problem with the Mayor is that he believes he has already won the election, and he does not need to say more," the analyst added.

Falcón indicated that while Bloomberg does not have many Latinos in important positions in his administration, Thompson has not presented those that he has sufficiently.

Eddie Castell, head of the Democratic campaign, told this publication that the Latino vote will be decisive in this election, and that advertising will intensify in the remaining days, with the support of important Latino leaders.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Bloomberg's campaign, Silvia Alvarez, expressed that "the Latino community is very enthusiastic and ready to work with Mayor Bloomberg to respond to the challenges facing out city" and that according to the polls, "when you look at Latinos, we are winning 2 to 1. We are working hard to get the Latino vote," said Alvarez.