In a recent interview, President Trump made the bold claim that his approval rating among Hispanic voters is at 50%. This may sound outrageous, considering republican popularity with Hispanics usually hovers around thirty percent, but Trump’s numbers have truth to them. Steve Cortes, a CNN commentator and contributor to RealClearPolitics, reported back in April that Trump’s approval rating with Hispanics truly is soaring. In his article, Cortes cites three polls taken in the early months of 2019. January’s poll by Marist, NPR, and PBS found a 50% approval rating for Trump among Hispanics. A month later, Morning Consult and Politico found a more modest 45% approval rating. In March, McLaughlin & Associates found another 50% approval rating. These stunning statistics cannot be ignored – Democrats have counted on having Hispanic votes on their side for decades, and because Hispanics are a growing demographic, their votes are becoming more crucial than ever. If Trump can secure even 40% of the Hispanic vote, that could be a major factor towards his securing of the 2020 election.
Rich Valdes – who is himself of Hispanic descent – agrees with Cortes’ conclusion that Trump’s growing popularity among Hispanics can be attributed to three main factors: his economic policies, his toughness at the southern border, and his stance on social issues. Democrats may consistently paint Trump as racist, but an increasing number of Hispanics appear to be more interested in Trump’s actions than Democrats’ words. And what they discover is a president whose policies are in line with their core values. As Valdes puts it, “So many Latinos are lovers of liberty, embracing the values that are consistent with conservatism and the Republican Party, even though the Democrats have been so inviting.” As a general rule, Hispanics value hard work, entrepreneurship, and independence far more than “a laundry list of deliverables from the government.” Trump’s tax cuts have benefitted all Americans, but they’ve benefitted entrepreneurial Hispanics more than anyone. As a result, Hispanics have thrived under Trump. Their wages are up, their unemployment rate is down, and the money is flowing – “And when the money is flowing, everybody’s happy.”
Trump’s border policies also benefit Hispanics, many of whom live in the southwest where issues at the border have the greatest effect. Hispanics are probably drawn to Trump’s toughness because they suffer disproportionally from the consequences of open borders. As Cortes reports, Hispanics are forced to compete with illegal aliens for jobs in the regions closest to the border. Additionally, Hispanics are often the victims of crime committed by more dangerous illegal aliens. It’s also possible that Hispanics who immigrated legally resent those who reap the rewards of living in the United States without having paid any of the costs.
Finally, Trump’s support of the pro-life cause and his protection of religious liberty is popular with Hispanics. Many Americans of Hispanic descent are Catholic or evangelical, which leads them to lean very conservative on matters of faith and morality. Even though most people don’t look to Trump as a moral leader, his administration has nonetheless done a good job protecting Americans of all ethnicities who have been rebuked and ridiculed for their conservative stances on social issues.
Valdes is careful to note that polls can and do fluctuate, so it’s important not to take their results too far. However, considering the fact that many Hispanics have every reason to support Trump, as seen above, these polls certainly suggest that Americans are finally looking not at what Democrats say, but at what Republicans do – and some of them are changing their minds because of it.
Ruth Moreno is a Contributor to TheRichValdes.com
