The oversimplification of the “Latino vote”

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A couple of days ago I was listening to NPR’s politics podcast and they were discussing Latino voters. My ears perked up because I remembered something: I’M A LATINO VOTER. They stated how both campaigns are trying their best to gain more Latino voters by going door-to-door and making Spanish advertisements; overall just trying to get the word out there. All of the same old classic strategies that I would expect. However, the podcast stated a key point that I resonated with wholeheartedly: Politicians and campaigns repeatedly use this one-size-fits-all approach to win the Latino vote. Then Democrats are shocked when they realize that they’re losing voters to Republicans. Politicians expect to win the Latino vote by ignoring the numerous different Hispanic ethnic groups in the country and treating us like this one big homogenous group. I might be quoting from NPR, but a Puerto Rican in New York doesn’t vote the same way as a Cuban in Miami. There’s a nuance to the Latino voting demographics that presidential campaigns often overlook.

Latinos will make up 14.7 percent of all eligible voters according to the Pew Research Center which is about 36 million people. Latino voters are becoming one of the fastest-growing and most important voting blocs in the country, which is why both Democrats and Republicans are trying their best to capture voters. While Democrats have historically been a dominant force in that Latino voting bloc, that trend might be ending. In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden was able to win 59 percent of Latino voters. In contrast, only 41 percent of Latino voters are “definitely” voting for Harris in this upcoming election (62 percent of Latino voters said they were “definitely” voting for Biden pre-2020 election). This change can be especially seen in states like Texas and Nevada. In Texas, Latinos are concerned about high inflation costs, driving them to the Republican side. On other issues, there’s polarization between Latinos in urban centers and those who live near the border or rural counties. For example, Latinos in urban areas are more likely to support the legalization of abortion than those living in suburban, rural, and border counties according to the report of the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation. In the same poll, a similar case can be made for the issue of border security and immigration. In Nevada, ethnic background is possibly key to who you’re likely to vote for. Mexican voters leaning or voting for Trump are at 29 percent and for Harris at 61 percent while non-Mexicans are at 46 percent for Trump and 44 percent for Harris — a much closer race. Undecided Mexicans and non-Mexicans are at 10 percent. Democrats have been faltering in their approach to gain more of the “Latino Vote” since they lack the nuance required to value and recognize the diversity and distinct backgrounds of the Latino population. This trend of Latinos moving to the Republican side is likely to continue if Democrat’s messaging stays the same.

The “Latino Vote” will likely consist of different voting blocs. Instead of politicians trying to target Latino voters, it will be the Cuban Voters, the Guatemalan Voters, the Salvadorian voters, etc. Politicians, especially Democrats, will soon realize that blanket messaging will not work any longer to win the “Latino Vote.” It’s time we demand more from politicians and not just vote for them because “we’re supposed to”. If politicians — both Republicans and Democrats — want our vote, then they must win it.