CV NEWS FEED // The rising support for Donald Trump among Latino voters in Pennsylvania and across the country will likely have a major impact on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, according to new data from Real Clear Polling.
Real Clear Polling found that although Latino voters previously have been a “key portion of the Democratic voting bloc,” Trump is starting to garner more support across the demographic.
Citing New York Times and Siena College data, Real Clear Polling reported that in 2016 the Democrats won the Latino vote 68%-28%. In 2020, the political party won the Latino vote once more, but this time only 62%-36%.
Polling ahead of the 2024 election shows Latinos supporting Harris but in smaller numbers than in previous years.
“She leads Trump by just +19 nationwide (56%-37%), suggesting Democratic support among Latinos is waning even as Trump espouses a commanding message against illegal immigration,” Real Clear Polling noted.
The poll also revealed that Latino voters say their values align more closely with those of the Republican Party.
“[Latinos] don’t have to shift their values,” Republican congressional candidate Maria Montero told Politico, according to Real Clear Polling. “Their values are already aligned with Republicans. The shift really is to have their voter registration match who they are.”
As CatholicVote previously reported, Latino voters indicated this year that economic and financial issues as well as immigration are their biggest priorities when it comes to selecting a presidential candidate.
Both Harris and Trump have focused on building their relationships with Latino voters, according to Real Clear Polling. Trump has opened a “Latino Americans for Trump” office, and Harris has visited a Pennsylvania city with a 54% Latino population to garner support.