Vice President Joe Biden told Latinos in an address to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute on Thursday they “are about to become — and already have — the most powerful force in American politics.”

“The contribution of the Hispanic community has been incredible, but you ain’t seen nothing yet,” he told the crowd, which included a number of prominent Latinos and members of Congress, as well as young people in Washington for the group’s conference.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, which was founded by Latino members of congress, celebrated its 35th anniversary this year. Its conference has been a staple for the Obama White House, and President Barack Obama addressed the crowd in 2010 and 2011.

This year, especially, Latino voters are highly coveted in the election, and Biden’s speech focused on both praising their contributions and touting his administration’s policies to further help the community.

He also took digs at Republicans, repeating a recent attack line. “This isn’t your father’s Republican party,” he said. “As a matter of fact, it’s not even Mitt Romney’s father’s Republican Party.”

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