A new report from Governance, a Stateside news site affiliated with Tribune News Service (TNS), and data from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), reveals that Hispanic voters in Nevada are increasingly leaning right due to concerns about immigration and inflation, which is good news for former President Donald Trump.
NALEO estimates that Latinos make up about 1 in 5 voters in Nevada, aligning with national trends reported by the Pew Research Center, which projects the Hispanic voting population grows by 1.4 million new, young voters annually. These figures are expected to significantly influence this year’s election, as a recent Stateline study shows that approximately 57% of Hispanic and Latino households in Nevada are middle-class, ADN America reports. This will work to former President Donald Trump’s electoral advantage this year as he works to beat back a polling surge for Vice President Kamala Harris, who was essentially installed by the Democratic Party machine after never receiving a single vote.
Governance reports that many of those households are encountering a shift to the right due to their concerns about illegal immigration and the high cost of living. “Here in Nevada, where a larger share of Hispanic people have made it into the middle class than in any other state, some see inflation and immigration as reasons to reconsider their long-held loyalty to the Democratic Party,” said the outlet.
Henderson says that the Silver State has become a hub where individuals beginning in entry-level service positions at casinos, restaurants, and resorts can progress to higher roles and strive for success. “Many Hispanics who started out doing that kind of work have reached the middle class, but they are worried about crippling housing costs and the arrival of new immigrants who they fear might compete for jobs,” the Governance reporter explained.
The conservative shift was evident in the 2022 election when Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, a law-and-order candidate, won the gubernatorial race after serving as Clark County Sheriff for eight years. Upon taking office, Lombardo made a pro-business stance clear by issuing executive orders to lift remaining COVID-19 restrictions, remove business regulations, and suspend new regulations from executive agencies. He also signed a bill to fund a new $1.5 billion ballpark for the Oakland Athletics’ relocation to Las Vegas and temporarily suspended minimum qualification requirements for state jobs in the first 90 days to boost hiring.
The outlet added:
Lombardo may be partially responsible for the shift. He recently addressed Nevada’s Latin Chamber of Commerce where he spoke about his push to remove licensing requirements for jobs and made his case for vetoing recent Democratic bills proposing rent control.
Amid Lombardo’s rise, Democrats have seen a plunge in support. While the Democratic Party was able to shift the once crimson state from red to blue between 2008 to 2020, Lombardo’s victory gave hope to Republicans that the Silver State was looking bright. Nevadans also reelected their Democratic senator, Catherine Cortez Masto by a razor thin margin by only 8,000 votes.
Before Vice President Kamala Harris took over as President Biden’s replacement this year, an NBC report indicated that Latino voters were leaning toward Trump. However, a recent Newsweek poll now shows Harris leading Trump among Hispanic voters. Other polls from Fox News reveal a tight race, with Trump and Harris nearly neck and neck as they compete for the Latino vote in Nevada, the outlet said.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.