The rapidly growing number of Hispanic Americans throughout the twentieth century led to no shortage of questions regarding how they might affect the American political landscape. Some speculated that their influence might resemble that of African Americans, who largely defected from the Republican Party starting in the 1930s as the Democrats increasingly identified as a party committed to social reform and the protection of civil rights. Others thought that the Republicans stood a good chance of wooing Hispanic supporters, particularly once the party moved in a markedly conservative direction in the 1980s, taking a stand against abortion rights and drug dealing. The question of how Hispanic Americans would align politically and affect future elections, particularly those involving future presidents, remained a topic of discussion and analysis into the twenty-first century.