Donald Trump will be the US President again.
Why Latinos voted for him
Donald Trump’s win in the November 5th election surprised many, especially because he gained more Latino votes than expected, even after making controversial statements about immigrants in the country.
Exit polls showed Trump increased his Latino support nationwide from 32% in 2020 to 45% in 2024. Most of his gains came from Latino men without college degrees, similar to other ethnic groups. In Pennsylvania, a key swing state, Trump secured 42% of the Latino vote which is nearly double from his numbers in 2020.
So why did many Latinos vote for Trump? Here are three possible reasons:
1. The Economy Was the Top Concern
The economy mattered more to Latino voters than issues like abortion, democracy, or foreign policy. According to a Pew Research Center poll 85% of Latino voters ranked the economy as their top priority, followed by health care (71%) and violent crime (62%).
Even though the U.S. economy has been recovering with low unemployment and record stock market performance, many voters, including Latinos, were still frustrated by high prices. Inflation had dropped to 2.4% recently, but the improvement came too late to shift voter perceptions. Kamala Harris, the Vice President and Democratic candidate, struggled to distance herself from President Biden’s policies which left voters unconvinced she could address these concerns.
2. Targeted Outreach Worked for Trump
Trump actively courted specific Latino groups such as Cuban-Americans and Puerto Ricans in Florida far more effectively than Democrats, while Harris spent little time or resources engaging with these voters. Over the years, Latino support for Democratic candidates has dropped significantly—from 67% in 2008 to 53% today—without major efforts from the party to reverse this trend.
3. Many Latinos Didn’t Take Trump’s Insults Personally
Some Latinos living in pro-Trump communities may have downplayed Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric to fit in. Others believed Trump wasn’t talking about them, viewing themselves as “good immigrants” and assuming his remarks were directed at others. Studies have consistently shown that Latino immigrants are less likely to commit violent crimes than U.S.-born citizens, and claims that undocumented immigrants “steal jobs” are unsupported. In fact, industries like hospitality and construction face worker shortages and often rely on immigrant labor for jobs Americans avoid.
Other Factors
Some Latino voters may admire Trump’s strong image or have been swayed by his claims that Democrats are “communists” or support “woke” policies like gender discussions in schools. Regardless of the reasons, it’s clear Trump has made significant inroads with Latino voters. Democrats will need to rethink their strategy to win back this key group in future elections.