Neither wind nor rain is stopping thousands of Republicans from gathering here in Tampa to officially nominate Governor Mitt Romney as the 2012 Republican presidential candidate. For Republican Latinos, this is a big moment. For months, the polls have consistently shown President Obama with a substantial lead among Latino voters. Republican Hispanic leaders think they have a chance to show the nation’s Latinos their party is a big tent – and Hispanics are not only welcome, but a part of it. The question is, will it work?

“We’re very excited about this convention,” says Juntos Con Romney co-chair Hector Barreto this morning, as organizers deal with scheduling changes brought by the storm Isaac. “We will have hundreds of Latinos leaders here, and we have an opportunity to showcase not only the difference between the Obama and Romney campaigns, but what we think is the best future for Latinos,” said Barreto.

Barreto says there is a big difference between this convention and the former GOP Republican convention in Minneapolis. “I believe there was one Latino event then,” says Barreto. “Now we have events every day, sometimes more than one,” he says, adding, “We are five times more visible than in the last convention.” Barreto says this shows the level of commitment the party has toward the Hispanic community.

A Latino delegate from Kentucky, primary care physician Dr. Ralph Alvarado, says he’s here in Tampa because he’s unhappy with the current economic situation and feels it can be better under Gov. Romney.

Read more at NBC Latino