(WSVN) - More than 1 million Latinos have moved into battleground states since the last election making their voices and votes critical to the outcome of Tuesday’s election.
Now, they’re sharing their views in a new poll from Florida International University.
When the votes are tallied on Tuesday the Latino community will have played a crucial role.
“So Latinos make up roughly 15% of the electorate. It’s one of the fastest growing demographics, voting demographics, in the United States. We’re talking about 36 million voters that are now out there selecting who their next president of the United States is going to be,” said 7News political analyst Brian Fonseca.
In this poll, Latinos surveyed in Florida strongly support Vice President Kamala Harris. 49% say they’ll vote for her. 35% said they would vote for Donald Trump, while 6% are still undecided.
Nationwide, Latino support for Harris appears to be even stronger with 57% favoring Harris, and 33% planning to vote for Trump.
“Both parties have worked really hard to pull those demographics under their respective tent, but it seems like the democrats have done better at getting more proportions of those voters under their tent,” said Fonseca.
Inflation ranked number one among the main concerns for Latinos nationwide.
Jobs and the economy, abortion, and immigration round out the top four, with healthcare at number five.
“Economic prosperity, jobs. Those things comprise the most important issues for Americans at large, and certainly for Latinos as well,” said Fonseca.
But how do we handle immigration policy?
Latino voters across seven swing states were asked if Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportation is the most effective way to combat illegal immigration.
Thirty-six percent support it nationally and in Florida, while 32% of voters in swing states are in favor.
“I suspect this has to do with the fact that many of them came to the country legally, they look at that process as being painful. That’s the process that they went through and they hold it against those who may come into the country illegally. That’s the only way I can make sense of that particular number,” said Fonseca.
Both the vice president and former president have showed confidence in the home stretch, both making stops in battleground states trying to win over Latino voters.
It’s just four days left until the country decides the next president.
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