DENVER (AP) - Hispanics supported President Barack Obama over Republican Mitt Romney by almost 3-to-1 and put Republicans on notice they must take real steps to win over the nation's largest minority group if they want to win the presidency again.

Exit polls say Romney, who has backed hard-line immigration measures, won only 27 percent of Hispanics.

That's less than any presidential candidate in 16 years. President George W. Bush claimed 44 percent in 2004 after he embraced immigration reform.

Al Cardenas, chairman of the American Conservative Union, says he doesn't believe there's a path to the White House in the future for Republicans that doesn't include close to 40 percent Hispanic support.

Republicans don't agree on the best approach to deal with this challenge, though many agree that it's very real.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Material may not be redistributed.

More From KYBB-FM / B102.7