For decades much has been said about the potential power of Latino voters but rarely has their impact lived up to expectations.

But, Super Tuesday was different, according to exit polls.

"I mean 30 percent, about 30 percent (and) numbers may be higher and that is unprecedented for Latinos in any state," said Albert Camarillo of Stanford University, about how many Latinos came out to vote. "So what does that say? Bottom line, Latinos are a major political force in the state of California."

Latinos came out in big numbers for Sen. Hillary Clinton, according to exit polls, which said she earned about 70 percent of the Latino vote compared to about 30 percent for Sen. Barack Obama.

"The turnout and the heavy Democratic vote suggest there is something to a ethnic bloc vote in a state like California and probably in a place like Texas," Camarillo said.

What does the Hispanic vote mean for Republicans?

Experts told NBC11's Daniel Garza the party's tough stance on illegal immigration has cost them the Latino support that was built up by President George W. Bush.

Sen. John McCain has taken a tougher stance in order to please party activists, according to experts.

Many within the Latino community have still not forgiven him for co-authoring legislation with Sen. Ted Kennedy that would have provided a pathway to citizenship for undocumented workers, according to experts.

"If McCain wants to become more conservative on the topic how far does he push, and if he pushes too far is there a backlash in the Hispanic community," said Bill Whalen of the Stanford Hoover Institution.

A backlash could cost the GOP votes in November, according to Whalen.

"That would be Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, those are states I have my eye on," he said. "And why those three? They have growing Hispanic populations and they're probably more prone to voting Democratic than Republican and they vote Democratic in large numbers. That's bad news for Republicans on election night."