Latino Men For Trump? Why The President Is Making Inroads With Some Hispanics

As President Donald Trump seeks a second term, his campaign is earning support from an unexpected group: Latino men. New York Times/Siena College polls of 18 battleground states find Democratic nominee Joe Biden leading Trump by only 8 points among Latino men, 47% to 39%.

Trump has frequently used harsh rhetoric on immigration, warning of an “invasion” of Mexican migrants and calling them “rapists” and “criminals.” The Trump administration also implemented a controversial separation policy for migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump has also been lambasted for his response to Hurricane Maria that devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017. In addition, he told four minority congresswomen, one of them of Latina descent, to “go back where they came from.”

Yet, Latino men seem to be drawn to the president for a variety of reasons. In Florida, for example, Trump’s anti-socialism rhetoric has attracted Cuban-Americans whose families fled the regime of Fidel Castro.

Other Latino voters are attracted to his “macho” image and frequent references to God and Christianity. Many Latinos also hold socially conservative views on issues such as abortion.

Some Latino voters are entrepreneurial and own small businesses. They may feel unsure if Biden would handle the economy better than Trump.

“In the Latino community, you are defined by your ability to provide,” Tomas Robles Jr., the executive director of the Lucha progressive organization told the New York Times. “Folks in a perpetual state of economic insecurity want to look around and at least believe that you can do great in this economy. Biden needs to have a message that they matter, that he is going to create an economic reality they have the ability to make it.”

Trump will need to garner as much support as he can get before the presidential election on Nov. 3. A CNN national poll released Wednesday shows Biden leading Trump by 12 points nationwide, 54% to 42%.