In a recent survey conducted by the New York Times and Siena College, Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly lagging behind the performance of the last three Democratic candidates in garnering support from Latino voters, a key demographic in U.S. elections.
The study indicates that Harris has secured just 56 percent of the Latino vote, a decline from the 68 percent and 62 percent support seen in 2016 and 2020, respectively, for Democratic nominees. On the other side of the aisle, former President Donald Trump appears to maintain his foothold among this critical voter base, with current backing at 37 percent compared to 28 percent in 2016 and 36 percent in the previous election.
Throughout his political career, Trump has consistently highlighted immigration issues, often framing migrants as invaders and focusing criticism on policies regarding the U.S.-Mexico border. Despite this rhetoric, most Hispanic respondents feel detached from Trump’s immigration discourse. Data show that only 30 percent of U.S.-born Hispanic participants believe Trump’s comments on immigration pertain to them, whereas 67 percent disagree. Among those born outside of the U.S., opinions are somewhat divided: 43 percent feel targeted by Trump's statements while 51 percent do not.
The findings also underscore a strong likelihood of Hispanic voters participating in the forthcoming election, with a majority affirming their commitment to vote for their preferred candidate. However, about seven percent remain undecided on their choice.
This polling data emerges as both political camps intensify efforts to rally Latino support ahead of election day. Recently, Harris partook in a town hall meeting broadcasted by Univision—a prominent Spanish-language network—addressing pivotal issues such as immigration policy, economic concerns, and reproductive rights.
Despite these endeavors to connect with Latino voters, an aggregation of polls by The Hill/Decision Desk HQ places Harris ahead of Trump by a slim margin of just under three percentage points nationally. This competitive landscape underscores the significance of every vote and highlights the ongoing battle for Latino support as crucial for securing victory in what promises to be a closely contested election.
The study indicates that Harris has secured just 56 percent of the Latino vote, a decline from the 68 percent and 62 percent support seen in 2016 and 2020, respectively, for Democratic nominees. On the other side of the aisle, former President Donald Trump appears to maintain his foothold among this critical voter base, with current backing at 37 percent compared to 28 percent in 2016 and 36 percent in the previous election.
Throughout his political career, Trump has consistently highlighted immigration issues, often framing migrants as invaders and focusing criticism on policies regarding the U.S.-Mexico border. Despite this rhetoric, most Hispanic respondents feel detached from Trump’s immigration discourse. Data show that only 30 percent of U.S.-born Hispanic participants believe Trump’s comments on immigration pertain to them, whereas 67 percent disagree. Among those born outside of the U.S., opinions are somewhat divided: 43 percent feel targeted by Trump's statements while 51 percent do not.
The findings also underscore a strong likelihood of Hispanic voters participating in the forthcoming election, with a majority affirming their commitment to vote for their preferred candidate. However, about seven percent remain undecided on their choice.
This polling data emerges as both political camps intensify efforts to rally Latino support ahead of election day. Recently, Harris partook in a town hall meeting broadcasted by Univision—a prominent Spanish-language network—addressing pivotal issues such as immigration policy, economic concerns, and reproductive rights.
Despite these endeavors to connect with Latino voters, an aggregation of polls by The Hill/Decision Desk HQ places Harris ahead of Trump by a slim margin of just under three percentage points nationally. This competitive landscape underscores the significance of every vote and highlights the ongoing battle for Latino support as crucial for securing victory in what promises to be a closely contested election.
