Hispanic Voting Trends: A prioritization of the American identity over background identities

Parsing Immigration Policy

Hispanic voters, once considered a Democratic stronghold, are now a pivotal swing demographic in U.S. elections. In the latest episode of Parsing Immigration Policy, Jim Robb, Vice President of Alliances and Activism at NumbersUSA, joins the Center’s Executive Director, Mark Krikorian, to discuss this shift in voting trends and its implications for the future of American politics with the Center’s Executive Director, Mark Krikorian.
In the last two presidential elections, Hispanics, the fastest growing minority group in the country, have shown a notable move toward Republican candidates. Robb highlights the political journey of Hispanic voters, the factors driving the changes, current trends, and future expectations, including:

• In the recent presidential election, almost every demographic group moved toward Republicans.
• Economic concerns like inflation, followed by immigration, were cited as the top issues for Hispanic voters in the 2024 election.
• Traditional identities of class and economic interests trumped racial identity politics.
• The political journey of Hispanic Americans and African Americans, and how they vote, are very different.
• Populism and nationalism trends are reshaping party dynamics.
• Hispanic voting trends are a catastrophe for Democrats.

Host
Mark Krikorian is the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies.
Guest
Jim Robb is the Vice President of Alliances and Activism at NumbersUSA.
Related
Slide Deck Immigration Campaign Polling
Why did Hispanics vote so heavily for Donald Trump
Is Demography Still Destiny after 2024
Political Migrants: Hispanic Voters on the Move
Hispanics’ Voting Preferences on Immigration
Intro Montage
Voices in the opening montage:

• Sen. Barack Obama at a 2005 press conference.
• Sen. John McCain in a 2010 election ad.
• President Lyndon Johnson, upon signing the 1965 Immigration Act.
• Booker T. Washington, reading in 1908 from his 1895 Atlanta Exposition speech.
• Laraine Newman as a "Conehead" on SNL in 1977.
• Hillary Clinton in a 2003 radio interview.
• Cesar Chavez in a 1974 interview.
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking to reporters in 2019.
• Prof. George Borjas in a 2016 C-SPAN appearance.
• Sen. Jeff Sessions in 2008 comments on the Senate floor.
• Charlton Heston in "Planet of the Apes".