Latino voters united on economic issues; divided by social issues

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WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

Hispanic voters are on the rise

Hispanics have accounted for about half of US population growth since 2010. That increase has meant an increase in the voter population. The Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey samples the US population about its voting behavior after the November election every other year. It found that the share of voters who were Hispanic increased from roughly 7 percent in 2008 to more than 10 percent in 2020, while the share of eligible voters who were Hispanic increased from roughly 9 percent to more than 13 percent over the same period.

A recent survey by the Pew Institute shows that the majority of Latino voters lean towards the Democratic Party in the country, but when asked about social issues they show a clear division that has tipped the balance in some states towards the Republican Party.

Many think that Latinos have very different interests than white voters, but this is not the case, according to the survey. They put their financial well-being, work, housing and education above their concerns. Nothing different from the rest of the voters.

According to the survey of 3,029 Latino adults, both Republican and Democratic Latinos say the economy and education are one of their top four concerns, but Latino Republicans are also worried about crime and immigration, while Democratic Latinos worry more about gun control and health care.

The bigger differences open on social policies among Latino Democrats, where support for abortion rights or restrictions is more closely divided, compared to Democrats in general. The same is true for other social issues, where religion, political ideology, and national origin show divisions in the Democratic base.

For Latino registered voters, the economy is the top issue affecting their vote ahead of this fall’s midterm election, followed by health care, education, violent crime and gun policy. About half of Latino voters say they plan to vote for the Democratic candidate in their district’s election for the U.S. House of Representatives; 28% say they plan to vote for the Republican candidate, and 18% are either not sure who they will vote for or plan to support another candidate. While Latinos voted at lower rates than other groups in 2018, about two-thirds of Latino voters (67%) say they have given at least some thought to the upcoming midterm elections. When it comes to the president’s job approval rating, Latino voters have mixed views of Joe Biden, with 45% approving of his job performance and 54% disapproving. Meanwhile, a clear majority of Latinos (73%) say they do not want former President Donald Trump to remain a national political figure.

Abortion has risen in importance as a voting issue for Hispanics who are registered to vote since the spring: It rose from 42% in March to 57% in August. The increase is driven primarily by Hispanic Democrats and Democratic leaners registered to vote (42% in March and 63% in August). By comparison, the share of Hispanic Republicans and Republican leaners registered to vote who say abortion is a very important voting issue has remained relatively flat (43% in March vs. 48% in August).

Partisans also differ in their views on issues that the U.S. Supreme Court has weighed in on this year. Hispanic Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters are more likely than Hispanic Republican and Republican-leaning voters to say gun policy (71% vs. 56%) and abortion (63% vs. 48%) are very important issues for their vote in the 2022 midterm elections.

Hispanic Democratic voters and Hispanic Republican voters have similar views on the importance of voting policies, with about six-in-ten in each group saying it is very important to their vote.