Why Hispanic voters are fleeing the Democratic Party
It’s difficult to find groups that are more different than a woke, White Democrat and your average Hispanic, Giancarlo Sopo says.
The left-leaning media and powerful Democrats alike have taken notice that Hispanics are ditching the Democratic Party.
The "biggest political story of our time" is the major shift in the demographics of the two parties, with Republicans gaining major ground among Hispanic voters and becoming increasingly working-class and multiracial, according to a new report by Axios.
The Thursday article, entitled "The Great Realignment," details a Democratic Party that is becoming more elite and "a little more white," as inroads in a number of ethnic groups for Republicans could turn the tide in numerous Democratic-held swing seats.
One of the most notable points of data shows that Democrats are "statistically tied" with Republicans in congressional ballots when it comes to the Hispanic vote. The metric becomes more shocking when turning the page back to 2018, when the Democratic Party held a 47-point advantage with Hispanics in the midterms. Also notable is an April NBC News poll, which showed Democrats losing ground in every demographic, besides college-educated women, where they gained 10 points since 2010.
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Axios highlighted statistics showing Hispanics living near the U.S.-Mexico border are in favor of tougher border security, a viewpoint long held by the Republican Party and many conservatives. ((AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File))
Giancarlo Sopo, a descendent of Cuban exiles, ran the Hispanic advertising and rapid response effort for former President Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign. He called what’s occurring a "once in a generation type of political realignment," saying working-class Hispanic voters simply don’t have anything in common with the modern "woke" Democrat. He explained that it’s critical to consider that the Hispanic poverty rate has declined significantly in recent years, as members of the community create new small businesses in droves.
"We're aspirational people. We want to work hard. We came to this country to succeed. Also, I think during that same time, it would be fair to say that the Democratic Party's overly educated or miseducated, depending how you look at it, you know, elites have taken over the party, and it's difficult to find groups that are more different than a woke White Democrat and your average Hispanic," Sopo told Fox News Digital.
"They're economically different. The social and cultural values are very different. Your average Hispanic tends to be far more religious and traditional in their cultural views than your average Democrat. So, I think if you understand the cultural transformation that we've seen on the Democrats, where they've become a lot more radicalized, and at the same time Hispanics… don’t just believe in the American dream. We personify it," Sopo continued. "Hispanics are really succeeding in America, the Democratic message just does not appeal to Hispanics."
Sopo believes the Democratic message is based on "victimhood" and "inequality."
The report by Axios details concerns from Democratic strategists, who assert that the party’s "biggest vulnerability" is assuming the views and priorities of progressives are in alignment with those of working-class voters.
"Hispanics want to prosper… they want to figure out, ‘OK, how do we reach the next step on the ladder?’ That's what Hispanics are focused on, not memorizing 74 pronouns. Not relitigating 1492 or Latinx and trying to upend the entire Spanish language," Sopo said. "[They] really just want to focus on living a good life in this country, providing for their families and succeeding."
The piece admits that communities of color have "borne the brunt" of skyrocketing crime in the age of the "Defund the Police" movement, which many progressive activists championed. Furthermore, Axios highlights statistics that show Hispanics living near the U.S.-Mexico border are in favor of tougher border security, a viewpoint long held by the Republican Party and many conservatives.
"The Democrats are absolutely terrified at what they're seeing among Hispanic voters, and they're going to do everything they can to woke shame Latinos into submission. Unfortunately for them, Hispanics aren't buying it," Sopo said.
"Even on immigration, we have very nuanced views. Yes, I'd say most Hispanics want to find some kind of legislative solution, especially for the DACA kids. But at the same time, Hispanics also like having a strong border, safe communities. They don't like the idea of people crossing over illegally, while many Hispanic families had to wait sometimes over a decade to come into this country the right way," Sopo said. "So even on immigration, Hispanics' views are nuanced. And in fact, when you look at how Hispanics, what they think about even legal immigration, they tend to have more restrictionist views than your average liberal White Democrat. There's just such a misunderstanding. The Democrats have gotten this so terribly wrong with Hispanics."
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October 10, 2020 - Orlando, Florida, United States - People hold placards after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence addressed supporters at a Latinos for Trump campaign rally at Central Christian University on October 10, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A New York Times/Sienna poll, conducted between July 5 and 7, also spells trouble for Democrats when it comes to demographics they have long relied on to push them to victory.
The poll shows that Hispanic Americans, more so than any other group, are concerned with inflation, the cost of living, and the economy. Eighty-seven percent of Hispanics and Latinos said in the survey they consider inflation and the cost of living "extremely important," in comparison to 81% of Black Americans and 75% of White Americans. Furthermore, 64% of Hispanic and Latino voters said the nation’s economic conditions were "poor," while 48% of Black Americans and 58% of White Americans said the same. The poll also found that Hispanic and Latino voters care more about the economy than other Americans, with 28% noting that it was the most important problem facing America out of a 26-option list.
The issue of inflation is likely to be a detriment to Democrats and the Biden administration, as past elections have shown dismal economic conditions often reflect poorly on the party in the White House. It doesn’t help Democrats that Republicans have seized on this issue, centering it as a serious voting topic, while Democrats are primarily running on abortion rights and gun control, which does not poll as high on average.
The media appear to be taking note of these substantial demographics shifts. Last month, CNN journalists warned Democrats that the Republican-won Texas special election, an election held in a historically Democratic district, showed that the party was taking Hispanic voters for granted.
Citing Donald Trump winning more Hispanic and Latino voters in the 2020 election than he did in 2016, political analyst John Avlon blamed the Democrats’ infatuation with "identity politics" as the big driver.
Political commentator Van Jones also sounded the alarm on Hispanic voters trending Republican, arguing that Democrats were losing Hispanics on economic concerns and socially conservative issues. Jones also knocked Democrats for labeling all Republicans as racists and for assuming that all Black and Hispanic voters are liberals.
The Democrats’ recent forays into Hispanic radio, and the media’s coverage of Republican minority politicians, have also angered a number of Hispanic and Latino figures, with the potential to further negatively impact the party’s ability to retain votes.
A George-Soros-linked group has recently taken steps to acquire a popular Spanish-language conservative talk radio station in Miami, Florida, in an attempt to reach voters, outraging staffers at the network. A number of prominent anchors subsequently left Radio Mambi, over concerns that the station would shift from the interests of their conservative audience.
"Latinos are fed up," former Radio Mambi host Dania Alexandrino told Fox News Digital the day before she quit the station. "The Democratic Party prostitutes the vote of the Hispanic population. They use it, they abuse it, and then they discard. They do it every single election cycle."
Meanwhile, some in the media have recently taken to labeling prominent Republican Latinas as "far-right" and warning about a rise in "White Supremacy" among them.
U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX) is interviewed by a reporter outside the Capitol Building after being sworn in on June 21, 2022 in Washington, DC. Flores was elected to fill the seat held by Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela, who resigned from office in March. She is the first Mexican-born woman elected to Congress. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Last week, The New York Times published a piece headlined "The Rise of the Far-Right Latina," referencing Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Texas, the first female Mexican-born member of the House, and two other Republican Latinas running for office, Monica De La Cruz and Cassy Garcia.
This week, a CNN column suggested Flores was an inauthentic Latina. Raul Reyes, a regular CNN writer, slammed Flores, De La Cruz and Garcia, in a piece headlined, "These GOP Latina candidates are not the ‘real deal.’"
"I was down there on Election Day with Mayra Flores and Cassy Garcia visiting all these different precincts and talking to voters and people will tell you that they've voted Democrat their entire life or maybe their grandparents were Democrats. But they say, ‘Listen, this is no longer my abuela’s [grandmother's] Democratic Party.' These people have been radicalized. They don't share our values," Sopo said.
"You really see it on the ground when you go to restaurants in Texas, particularly in south Texas, in the rural areas, you see Hispanic families gathering to eat at a table, and they pray before their meals. You know, these are just very different types of voters and the direction that the Democratic Party is heading in, which tends to be much more secular, much more politically correct," Sopo added. "Hispanics are not particularly preoccupied with political correctness. Many of us, we're like one or two generations removed away from pretty dark places, and we think this country is awesome."
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Flores herself had similar feelings, suggesting the Hispanic community places a strong emphasis on "God, family and country," as well as "jobs, jobs, and more jobs."
"Liberals have taken our community for granted for too long and think that by pandering to us, with such terms as Latinx, playing Spanish music or seeing us as tacos, it will help them— It is not, and they are just waking up to that reality. Buena suerte [good luck] with that!" she added.
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Media Research Center Latino director Jorge Bonilla recently predicted the media will continue to attack Hispanic conservatives ahead of critical elections, hoping to paint non-liberal Latinos as "disinformers," and Sopo feels Democrats need much more than help from the press to win back Hispanic voters.
"Whenever Democrats think that in order to win Hispanic voters, all they have to do is maybe, you know, play a little salsa music, talk about tacos and promise amnesty. That message no longer works with Hispanics," Sopo said.