Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, is showing improved support among Latino voters in comparison to his previous campaigns. A recent poll indicates a notable increase since 2016.
With 36.2 million Latinos eligible to vote this November, they form the second-largest group of eligible voters, just behind whites. This demographic is particularly significant in the key Southwestern states of Arizona and Nevada. Currently, Trump is slightly ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris in Arizona (47.9% to 46.9%), while Harris leads in Nevada by 1.5 points (48% to 46.5%), according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling averages.
Although Harris leads among Latino voters, Trump has made gains from previous elections. According to NBC News/Telemundo/CNBC, 54% of registered Latino voters support Harris compared to 40% for Trump, with 6% uncertain or opting not to vote.
This represents a significant boost for Trump, who only had 19% Latino support in 2016 and 27% in 2020, per NBC News data. In contrast, Democratic candidates have seen a decline in Latino backing; Hillary Clinton had 69% support in 2016, while Joe Biden garnered 63% in 2020.
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Despite Trump’s increased Latino support, Harris maintains a lead in areas like humane treatment of immigrants and abortion rights, receiving 57% and 56% support respectively, compared to Trump’s 18% and 24%. Trump, however, is perceived more favorably regarding border security and economic issues.
To bolster her appeal, Harris has ramped up outreach efforts and advertising in Hispanic media, spending $13.4 million since early August, compared to Trump’s $609,000. Trump has enlisted the support of Latino entertainers like Anuel AA and Nicky Jam, who have publicly endorsed him at rallies.