A new poll of Latino voters shows warning signs for President Trump and Republicans, as the majority of those surveyed disapprove of Trump and cite affordability and immigration as major issues.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
A new poll shows President Trump’s standing among Latinos is evaporating. The Pew Research Center has a new analysis from surveys of more than 5,000 people. It found, among other things, heavy disapproval of the president among Latinos on the economy and on deportations, among other things. That’s a huge reversal for Trump, who did better with Latinos in 2024 than any other Republican presidential candidate in history. NPR’s senior political editor and correspondent, Domenico Montanaro, has dug into the numbers. Domenico, good morning.
DOMENICO MONTANARO, BYLINE: Hey. Good morning, Steve.
INSKEEP: OK. What are the numbers?
MONTANARO: Well, you know, 70% of Latinos surveyed say that they disapprove of the job Trump is doing. And remember, this is someone who won almost half of Latinos who voted in 2024.
INSKEEP: Yeah.
MONTANARO: You know, he’s also down 12 points with Latinos who voted for him. You know, when he came into office, they had a 93% approval of him. Now that’s down to 81%. And that’s of those who voted. Nonvoters who are eligible to vote give him just a 27% approval rating. That’s down 15 points from when he was sworn in for his second term. So generally, what we’re seeing is that a lot of Latinos gave Trump a chance but are now souring on him.
INSKEEP: This is really interesting because just a few months ago, Republicans were thinking and talking about realigning the parties in this way. What’s causing their decline?
MONTANARO: Yeah. I feel like a broken record, but it’s the two issues that we’ve been talking about throughout Trump’s second term – affordability and immigration. You know, the economy, specifically the cost of living, was the No. 1 issue for Latino voters in the 2024 presidential election. It’s why so many crossed over to vote for Trump. But they’re not feeling great about Trump’s economy. Four in 5 view it negatively. Sixty-one percent say Trump’s economic policies have made conditions worse. Just 15% say that they’ve made things better. And this is a real issue hitting home for a lot of people. Half of Latinos surveyed say that in the past year, they’ve struggled to afford food, housing or medical care.
INSKEEP: Let me bring up immigration because we’ve been reminded that Latinos don’t just care about immigration. Interviews over the past couple of years have shown us – we’ve heard on the program – some people who are Latino don’t like illegal immigration, feel they came here legally, resent the people who skip the line, as they see it. So there was room for Trump, but now they’re seeing how he is enacting his immigration ideas. What’s the poll finding about the response?
MONTANARO: Yeah. And again, cost of living is the top issue, but two-thirds disapprove of Trump’s approach to immigration. Most importantly, 71% say that he’s doing too much when it comes to deportations. You know, that’s up 15 points from March. And it’s really quite stunning here that half also say that they’re worried that they, a close friend or a family member might be deported. That’s up sharply since Trump started his second term, and many Latinos are left questioning where they fit in the American story right now. Fifty-five percent say that they have serious concerns about their place in the country. One in 3 say that they’ve thought about leaving the country in the last six months…
INSKEEP: Wow.
MONTANARO: …Whether it’s because of politics, which was the plurality, or because of the cost of living. It’s really remarkable, considering America’s long been seen as a destination to work and create a new life for a family.
INSKEEP: I want to be clear. These people thinking about leaving the country – these are citizens who are voters, right?
MONTANARO: Yeah.
INSKEEP: OK. What does this mean for Trump and Republicans for next year?
MONTANARO: I think that it means, for either party, Latinos are not a guaranteed vote. I mean, a lot of Hispanic voters felt for a long time that the Democrats took them for granted, but many are certainly feeling estranged from the Republican Party. And with Trump in charge and the cost of living being what it is and the way deportations are being conducted, it looks worse for the GOP. Four in 5 say Trump’s policies have been harmful to Latinos. Even a third of those who voted for him say that.
INSKEEP: NPR’s Domenico Montanaro. Thanks so much.
MONTANARO: You’re welcome.
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