****

In a critical shift of voter allegiance, many Latino voters have expressed rising dissatisfaction with inflation and economic conditions under President Joe Biden, leading some to support Donald Trump in the latest presidential election. Eduardo Sanchez, a computer repair shop owner in San Francisco, exemplifies this trend. Despite having voted for Biden in 2020, Sanchez switched his vote to Trump this year, citing the sharp increase in the cost of living since Biden took office.

Sanchez, who immigrated from Nicaragua, shared his frustrations about the financial pressures his family and business have faced recently. He acknowledged Trump's controversial stance on immigration but argued that his vote was driven by urgent economic concerns. "Democrats are not working for the entire community, just themselves," Sanchez told CNN in Spanish.

This election saw Republicans gaining ground with Latino voters, an influential and fast-growing electorate. Their votes proved essential in battleground states like Nevada and Pennsylvania, driven primarily by economic anxieties. According to an AP VoteCast survey, Vice President Kamala Harris still secured the majority of Latino votes, but her support was notably weaker than Biden's in the previous election.

The 2022 midterms had already indicated a growing frustration among Latinos with the Democratic Party over inflation, particularly in pandemic-stricken cities. By this year, that frustration had intensified, leading many Latino voters to support Trump’s promises of economic reform. Trump's campaign focused on tax cuts and reducing the federal government's size, which appeared to resonate with Latino voters worried about their economic prospects.

Republicans, including political strategist Mike Madrid, have observed this shift towards the right among Latino voters since at least 2012. Nikki Garcia, a federal government editor from Central Florida, also chose Trump this year, valuing his clear economic agenda over social justice issues.

Economic forecasts indicate that Latinos may face more financial strain under Trump’s policies, including proposed tariff hikes on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China. Analysts predict these tariffs could significantly increase household expenses, disproportionately affecting low-income communities, many of which include Latinos.

Monica Garcia-Perez, an economics professor, suggested that Trump's economic policies could exacerbate financial difficulties for Latinos. Despite Trump's promises of tax breaks, such measures might not substantially benefit those who need it most and could even reduce federal benefits for tipped workers.

While Democrats still have a chance to regain Latino support by effectively addressing economic concerns, their ability to do so remains in question. Ana Valdez of the Latino Donor Collaborative pointed out that Republicans made more strategic investments in Latino voters this election cycle, including targeted Spanish-language ads and leveraging high inflation concerns.

Valdez emphasized that both blue-collar and middle-class Latinos are concerned about their economic mobility. Moving forward, Democrats will need to better communicate their economic accomplishments to win back Latino voters. Alternatively, any misstep by Trump that appears out of touch with economic realities could see these voters swing back to the Democratic Party, according to Democratic strategist Carlos Odio.