Frustrated Latinos turn to Trump in key state of Nevada

LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas market worker Maria Salinas believes Democrats have failed their traditional Latino supporters for too long, and – like many others in this key voting bloc – is ready to vote for Donald Trump for the first time.

“I think Trump can change things a little,” she said, speaking to AFP at the juice stand she runs in the electoral battleground state of Nevada.

The Democrats offer “promises and promises... but nothing changes for us,” said Ms Salinas, whose relatives have been waiting for years to receive the legal right to move to the US.

“This time I’m going to vote for Trump to see if he helps us.”

Latinos are the second-largest ethnic group in the US, and represent 22 per cent of voters in Nevada.

That share has grown rapidly to become a vital factor in the south-western swing state’s elections, as thousands of immigrants are lured each year by the promise of work in Las Vegas’s flashy casinos and hotels.

Democrats have won every presidential election in Nevada since 2008. But barely two weeks before 2024’s election, Ms Harris leads Trump in Nevada by just half a point in polling averages.

“I’ve never understood why they always insist that Latinos have to be Democrats,” said Las Vegas restaurant owner Javier Barajas.

“The Democrats have never helped us at all,” added the Mexican man, who crossed the border in the 1980s and ended up in the gambling metropolis by accident.

Mr Barajas built his gastronomic empire from scratch, but says the highlight of his “American Dream” story was hosting both Trump and current US President Joe Biden at his restaurants earlier in 2024.

Shaking hands with Mr Biden – just before he stepped down as the Democratic nominee – was “very pleasant, an honour”.

But meeting Trump “was more than an honour, because he is the right person for this country”, said Mr Barajas.

The restaurateur proudly showed off a pair of gold-coloured sneakers bearing a Trump logo – a gift from the former president’s visit.

With this election, for the first time, Mr Barajas is ready to publicly call himself a Republican voter.

“Now, yes, I say it. Because I am very upset with the Democrats and all their promises,” he said.

“It’s time to tell them, ‘OK, enough. We do not agree with you.’ They need to take us more seriously.”

While Latinos in the US overall continue to lean towards the Democratic Party, that national margin has narrowed.

In 2012, a whopping 71 per cent of Latinos voted Democrat, compared to 27 per cent Republican.

By 2020, the gap had closed to 66 per cent Democrat and 32 per cent Republican.

A recent UnidosUS poll indicates just 57 per cent of Latinos are leaning towards Ms Harris, and 34 per cent Trump.

Some Latino voters blame the current Democratic administration for the rising cost of living, and are disaffected by its immigration and border policies.

Mr Barajas, for example, believes Trump’s promises of mass deportations if he reaches the White House will only impact “the criminals”.

“He will not go after the workers,” said Mr Barajas, who spoke personally with Trump for around 10 minutes during the former president’s visit.

While he discussed with Trump how many Latinos despise his anti-immigration rhetoric, Mr Barajas does not take it personally. And he is not alone.

A majority of US Hispanics believe Trump is not talking about them when he accuses immigrants of eating pets, being criminals and “infecting the blood” of the country, according to a major New York Times poll in October.

Ms Harris’ ascension to the Democratic nomination appears to have improved her party’s standing in the presidential race among Latinos, at least compared with Mr Biden.

“She is the child of immigrant parents,” said Mr Ricardo Fernandez, 54.

He thinks the Democrats just need to communicate their message better to Hispanics.

“Many Latinos are not well informed” about the threat posed by Trump, he added.

“It is really important that the Hispanic community pays attention to what is at stake. We are talking about one candidate who wants to help the middle class, and another whose plan is to strengthen millionaires and billionaires.

“So where does that leave Latinos? How many Latinos are millionaires in the United States?” he asked.

That is a widely held concern in North Las Vegas, a Latino stronghold and home to the sprawling, colourful Broadacres Market.

There, the predominantly Hispanic workers like Mr Salinas express concerns ranging from the economy to struggles with getting legal documents and status.

Mr Carlos Reyes, 57, who runs a clothing stand, says he feels more inclined to support Ms Harris because “she started like everyone else, from the bottom.”

But even he remains undecided, just days before he will cast his vote. AFP