The 2024 United States Presidential Election is one week away, and presidential candidates Kamala Harris (D) and Donald Trump (R) are battling it out for a key group of voters: the Latino community. From Mexicans to Afro-Latinos, the community spans 33 countries, and a clear divide is impacting the voting bloc.
According to a 2024 Pew Research Center study, the number of Latino voters in the upcoming election is projected to reach a historic high of 14.7% of eligible voters, or 36.2 million. The increase stems from young Latino voters, like myself, who will participate in their first national election.
As election deadlines approach, candidates will continue to focus on election battleground states Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Latino voters are deciding who will represent them and their interests.
The economy, immigration and crimes are amongst the top issues for Latinos in this election. Both the Republican party and Democratic party are using quite different strategies to cater to the second-largest group of voters in the U.S.
On Oct. 11, Trump spoke at a campaign rally in my hometown of Aurora, Colorado, and painted an incriminating picture about Latino immigrants. He has said that Venezuelan gangs have made the suburb a “war zone” and promised that he would create a program called “Operation Aurora,” which is inspired by the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
I’m sorry, Donald Trump, but how are you championing the saying “Make America Great Again” while referencing an act that has executed mass deportations and made it difficult for immigrants to vote? Aren’t you trying to appeal to a community that is made up of immigrants from across Latin America?
Don’t get me wrong: violent crime is never okay and shouldn’t exist anywhere. But when you push racist and xenophobic ideals onto a demographic that has a personal connection to immigration, it is harmful, and frankly contradictory.
Yet, for Trump, this concept of criminalizing migrant Latino communities isn’t new at all.
The former president has an extensive history of discriminatory practices including, but not limited to: marking Black renter applications with the letter “C” for “colored” in the 70s, questioning President Obama’s nationality, Trump’s 2016 campaign targeting Mexican immigrants, pushing the “us vs. them” ideology, questioning Harris’ racial background and wanting Latinos to assimilate to peak “Americanness.”
Many Latinos support the concept of assimilation, especially in conservative states, and coalitions such as Latino Americans for Trump (formerly Latinos for Trump) have fallen victim to his lies.
In their mission statement, the Florida-based coalition mentions how the Biden administration has failed to bring down record prices, secure Latino communities and deliver high real wages.
Yet, Trump hasn’t made the effort to talk about what he will do to address these failures if he wins a second term. Instead, he targeted Harris by calling her “the worst” and “dumb” in front of Latino leaders during a roundtable talk on Oct. 22 at his Doral golf course.
Is that not a clear sign to Latino voters that this 78-year-old white man still has prejudices against people of color, especially those who are a threat to him? If you think he only has something against Harris, you are overlooking the ever-present, obvious hints.
On the same day Trump was campaigning to Latinos, Harris was interviewed by Spanish-language television network Telemundo. She discussed planned legislation that would help Latino men secure small business loans. This entrepreneurial boost will heavily benefit the working class, which accounts for 78% of Latino voters.
With Black, Indian and immigrant roots, the current Vice President of the United States knows how disadvantaged BIPOC communities are, especially the Latino man. Discrimination, criminalization and fewer opportunities are not just common amongst Latino men, but across the entire Latino community.
Harris is catering to Latinos by removing unnecessary degree requirements, providing apprenticeships in skilled trades and doubling the number of first-time Latino homeowners. She is also improving the Affordable Care Act, expanding tax credits and expanding bilingual education.
On a national scale, Latinos are enthusiastic about the Democratic party. As the party candidate, Harris can resonate with the experiences and hardships the Latino community faces on a daily basis.
According to a October 2024 New York Times poll, 52% of Latinos would vote for Harris, 40% would vote for Trump and 8% were undecided or voted for another candidate.
When comparing the two candidates' sentiments towards the Latino community, the line is clearly drawn: Trump is utilizing his “Trumpism” movement to lie to Latinos, while Kamala is actively making the effort to uplift and support Latinos while respecting the diversity that makes up the community.
Latinos will realize how they see themselves in this election, whether they like it or not. So, why not help dictate the image of our community by doing our due diligence, heading to the polling stations and showing what makes us vital to this country?
Nonprofit organizations VotoLatino and UnidosUS are incredible resources that encourage Latinos from all walks of life to register to vote and become more politically active in our communities across the country. There are people who want a change that will positively impact our raza, and it’s time that we show out for one of the most important elections in our lifetimes.
We have the ability and privilege to rally behind someone who will advocate for our communities and future generations to come. To all of my Latinos, I hope to see you proudly showing off your “I Voted” stickers in person and on social media, because es hora de votar por nuestra hermosa comunidad.
Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez is a sophomore double-majoring in Journalism and Latino/a Studies with a minor in Political Science. On campus, he is involved in STITCH Magazine, The Daily Northwestern, FIJI and NAHJ. He can be contacted at [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of North by Northwestern.
Thumbnail courtesy of Jessica Chen / North by Northwestern.