Guerrero: The rise of the MAGA Latino isn’t real, but it could be in 2024
The US election may have been the most divisive in modern history, but not for Latinos — the nation’s largest minority.
And even if the presidential election had brought to power a man who was not seen as representing much interest of the average American, that would be a minor consequence compared to the massive shift in the makeup of the US electorate. In 2020, the population is projected to be 59 percent non-white and 22 percent non-Hispanic.
Among Latinos, that number increases to 69 percent non-white and 31 percent non-Hispanic.
But if Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump ends up winning in November — as is projected — that may not mean that Latinos are more likely to be drawn to his side.
In 2020, the Latino presidential candidate may be someone other than the man who is already the most popular Republican senator with Hispanic voters.
Lupita Laguerre, president of the Hispanic Federation: “Many will look at him and see that they don’t understand how someone who would do that could be a presidential nominee of his own party. It would be stunning.”
At this stage in the campaign, the biggest factor that could separate Latino voters from their Republican choices is not ethnicity or immigration. It comes down to economic policy.
According to the Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends Project, Latino Democrats and Independents and African Americans are more likely than Hispanics overall to identify as economic conservatives.
But the same research found that black voters who identify as moderate or liberal are more likely to choose Democrats in 2016, and that Democrats hold the largest margin of victories among African American voters who identified as economic conservatives.
Lupita Laguerre runs the Hispanic Federation, which has been called one of the most influential groups in American politics, and has been a frequent antagonist of the president.
In a recent interview with CBC News, Lupita Laguerre — president of the Hispanic Federation, one of the country’s most influential Latino organizations — argued that what lies behind Hispanics’ enthusiasm for Trump is their disappointment with candidate Hillary Clinton.
Lupita Laguerre argues that even if Trump wins the presidential election, Latinos won’t turn to him
“They’re looking at Donald Trump and saying he’s not who we need in the White House,”
