Maria Salinas, who works in the Las Vegas market, argues that the majority of traditionally Democratic Latino voters have skewed to the Republican side for the first time because Democrats have not been effective in retaining the Latino voter bank.
Expressing her disappointment in the Democrats, she said during her speech: “I think Trump can change things a little.” Agence France-Presse At the juice stand, she’s running in the battleground state of Nevada.
Salinas, whose relatives have been waiting for years for the legal right to move to the United States, said Democrats make “promises and promises but nothing changes for us.”
“This time I will vote for Trump to see if he helps us.”
Latinos are the second largest ethnic group in the United States, representing 22% of voters in Nevada.
That share has quickly grown into a vital factor in swing state elections in the Southwest, where thousands of immigrants are lured each year by the promise of work in the casinos and luxury hotels of Las Vegas.
Democrats have won every presidential election in Nevada since 2008. But just two weeks before this year’s election, Harris leads Trump in Nevada by just half a point in polling averages.
“I never understood why they always insist that Latinos have to be democrats,” said Javier Barajas, a Las Vegas restaurant owner.
“The Democrats did not help us at all,” adds the Mexican man who crossed the border in the 1980s and accidentally ended up in a gambling town.
Barajas built his gastronomic empire from scratch, but he says the highlight of his “American Dream” story was hosting both Trump and President Joe Biden at his restaurants earlier this year.
Shaking hands with Biden just before he stepped down as the Democratic nominee was “very enjoyable and an honor.”
But Barajas said meeting Trump “was more than just an honor, because he is the right person for this country.”
The restaurant owner proudly shows off a pair of gold-colored sneakers bearing the Trump logo, a gift from the former president’s visit.
With this election, for the first time, Barajas is willing to openly call himself a Republican voter.
“Now, yes, I say that,” he said. “Because I’m so upset with the Democrats and all their promises.”
“It’s time to say to them: OK, enough is enough. We don’t agree with you.” “They need to take us more seriously.”
“criminals”
While Latinos in the United States overall continue to lean toward the Democratic Party, this national margin has narrowed.
In 2012, a whopping 71% of Latinos voted Democratic, compared to 27% Republicans.
By 2020, the gap had narrowed to 66% of Democrats and 32% of Republicans.
A recent UnidosUS poll indicates that only 57% of Latinos lean toward Harris, and 34% lean toward Trump.
Some Latino voters blame the current Democratic administration for the high cost of living and are dissatisfied with its immigration and border policies.
For example, Barajas believes that Trump’s promises of mass deportation if he reaches the White House will only affect “criminals.”
“He’s not going after the workers,” said Barajas, who personally spoke with Trump for about 10 minutes during the former president’s visit.
While he has discussed with Trump how many Latinos hate his anti-immigration rhetoric, Barajas doesn’t take it personally. And he is not alone.
A majority of Latinos in the United States believe that Trump does not speak for them when he accuses immigrants of eating pets, being criminals, and “infecting the blood” of the country, according to a major New York Times poll conducted this month.
“immigrant parents”
Harris’ rise to the Democratic nomination appears to have improved her party’s standing in the presidential race among Latinos, at least compared to Biden.
“She is the daughter of immigrant parents,” Ricardo Fernandez, 54, said.
He believes Democrats just need to get their message out to Hispanics better.
He added that “many Latinos are not well informed” about the threat posed by Trump.
“It’s really important for the Hispanic community to pay attention to what’s at stake. We’re talking about a candidate who wants to help the middle class, and another whose plan aims to boost millionaires and billionaires, so where does that leave Latinos? How many Latinos are millionaires in the United States?” he asked.
That’s a widespread concern in North Las Vegas, a Latino stronghold and home to the sprawling, colorful Broadacres Market.
There, Latino workers like Salinas express concerns ranging from economics to the struggle to obtain legal documents and legal status.
Carlos Reyes, 57, who runs a clothing store, says he feels more inclined to support Harris because she “started, like everyone else, from the bottom.”
But even he has not yet decided, just days before he casts his vote.