UnidosUS, the largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization, and Mi Familia Vota, a Latino political and civic engagement organization, recently commissioned a new poll primarily focused on democratic pulling. Of the 2,750 eligible Latino voters surveyed, 60% said they believe the country is on the wrong track.
Clarissa Martinez, Vice President of the Latino vote initiative at UnidosUS, told NBC News that “60 percent is still a high number.” According to the poll, only 59% of Latinos said they would vote in the next midterm election. Martinez believes this poll should be a “wake-up call to both parties and candidates to do their job.”
The most critical issues listed in this poll were inflation, crime and gun violence, jobs and economy, health care, and abortion. These issues have changed from the 2020 election, with the Covid-19 pandemic, racial injustice, and education listed as the top issues.
Compared to 2020, abortion issues have grown from 3% to 19%, especially after the overturning of Woe V Wade. Of the people surveyed about abortion rights, they have growing concerns about the risk to women’s lives and worry that elected officials could pass other laws restricting women’s rights. Martinez notes that these Latinos don’t want to be behind extremist ideas. “This is very significant, and more significant is understanding what’s behind that,” Martinez said.
Gun violence has also become a top issue, especially after the school shootings in Uvalde and El Paso, Texas, where most of those killed were Latino. Latinos worry that guns are too easy to access and want government officials to find a way to end school shootings. It is the question of whether specific issues like abortion rights and gun violence can change the voter’s usual party preference and motivate people to vote.
47% of Latinos who participated in the survey said no one reached out and encouraged them to vote for the upcoming midterm election. Martinez believes “there’s chronic under engagement and underinvestment in these voters.” In the 2020 presidential election, Latino voters reached a record number, but so far this year, only 29% of Latinos have been contacted by Democrats, while 19% of Latino poll respondents said Republicans have contacted them. Martinez believes there are opportunities for both parties, and if “both parties want to talk about Latino support, they need to actually court that support.”
The poll shows that Latinos think both parties can address the top issues. Democrats will be better at addressing issues of gun violence, abortion, and healthcare, while Republicans will favor issues of inflation, jobs, and the economy.
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