Vice President Kamala Harris has been actively engaging with Latino voters in Nevada, striving to regain their support as she tours Sun Belt states, culminating in a recent campaign stop in Las Vegas. Despite facing challenges, Harris has managed to outperform President Joe Biden by 12 percentage points among registered Hispanic voters in Nevada, according to a recent poll conducted by the Democratic firm Equis Research.
Equis Research’s report, released on Wednesday, revealed that Harris has made significant strides in winning back support from Nevada Latinos who previously had unfavorable views of both Biden and former President Donald Trump. The poll indicated that Harris is leading Trump by 19 percentage points among registered Hispanic voters in seven battleground states, including Nevada. This marks a 14 percentage point swing from Biden’s lead over Trump among the same group of voters in Equis’ previous poll.
Maria Di Franco Quinonez, a research director at Equis, emphasized the broad-based nature of Harris’ support, noting that voters across the ideological spectrum – liberal, moderate, and conservative – are backing Harris at higher rates than they did Biden. This shift in support is crucial, given the importance of Latino voters in Nevada, who make up approximately one-fifth of the state’s eligible voters.
While Harris’ support among Latino voters in Nevada falls slightly below 2020 levels, the Equis poll suggests that she has room for growth, especially if non-Latino support remains stable. The survey, conducted between July 22 and August 4, reached 2,183 registered voters who identify as Latino or Hispanic across 12 battleground states, including Nevada. The margin of error for the full sample is 2.9 percent, with a 3.7 percent margin of error for individual state results.
Harris’ active campaigning in the Sun Belt has been instrumental in her efforts to connect with Latino voters. Her recent rally in Las Vegas drew over 12,000 attendees, making it one of the largest political gatherings in Nevada’s modern history. Despite challenges in winning over Latino voters, Democrats in Nevada have been working to solidify support among this demographic, which has shown a degree of unpredictability in recent elections.
In comparison to other minority groups, Latino support for Democrats in Nevada has not always been clear-cut. A poll conducted by TelevisaUnivision in June revealed that 33 percent of registered Latino voters in the state “definitely” supported Biden, while 30 percent expressed definite support for Trump. Additionally, in the 2020 election, exit polling indicated that over a third of Nevada Latinos voted for Trump, underscoring the growing Republican support within this demographic.
Democrats have sought to rally Latino support through a more liberal immigration platform, but recent surveys suggest that Latinos are becoming more open to stringent immigration measures and are increasingly trusting the GOP to handle the issue. The Trump campaign has capitalized on this shift, highlighting Harris’ role in border investigations and labeling her as the administration’s “border czar.”
However, Di Franco Quinonez notes that this messaging may not resonate with Latino voters, particularly those who are undecided. Recent polling by Equis indicates that Trump’s hardline immigration policies, including mass deportations, are viewed unfavorably among Latino voters. As the political landscape evolves, both parties are vying for Latino support, recognizing the significance of this demographic in shaping electoral outcomes.
As Harris continues to engage with Latino voters in Nevada and across the Sun Belt, her efforts to connect with this crucial voting bloc are crucial to the Democratic Party’s electoral prospects. While challenges persist, Harris’ outreach and messaging may resonate with Latino voters, positioning her to make further inroads and solidify support among this key demographic.