It probably surprised no one that Hispanics and blacks voted overwhelmingly and super-overwhelmingly, respectively, for Obama, but Asians did too. Asians are a well-educated and high-earning group, more so even than whites, and they went for the Democrat, 62-35.

Keeping in mind the educational credentials of immigrant groups, the whole immigration picture should be very sobering for Republicans, especially since McCain like Obama was well-disposed toward quasi-amnesty for illegal immigrants. The poorer, less educated Hispanics go for the Democrat because Democrats attract the poorer and less educated. And the richer and more educated Asians go in the majority for the Democrat, because the Democrats tend to attract the college-educated, who have been influenced by the leftwing poiticization of the academy in recent decades.

Now in each group, at least a third went Republican, so we are by no means talking about everyone, but elections are won through majorities. The high point of Hispanic support for a Republican is George Bush’s reported 44 percent in 2004, a figure disputed as too high by some, and which is still distinctly a minority.