For well over a decade, Democrats have been pushing the idea that they’d soon have a permanent majority as America becomes more diverse.
Now, however, Donald Trump appears to be on the cusp of being the one who built the “multiracial working class party,” writes The Daily Caller, and much of it comes from the rise of Hispanic Republicans.
The Rio Grande Valley in Texas, historically a Democratic stronghold, may be experiencing a shift in political alignment as more Hispanic voters express dissatisfaction with rising living costs and Democratic policies, leading many to consider supporting Republican candidates. Local Republican leaders report growing enthusiasm for former President Donald Trump, driven largely by economic pressures and frustration with the current administration.
The outlet writes that the five main counties that compose the Rio Grande Valley — Starr, Hidalgo, Willacy, Zapata and Cameron — all went heavily blue for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
But in 2020, Trump gained major ground in all five counties, even winning Zapata, the first time the county went red in 100 years, Zapata County Republican Chair Jennifer Thatcher told the Daily Caller.
“What they want is change,” Thatcher said of Zapata County voters. “Everybody’s tired of the same thing, you know, same empty promises and nothing getting done.”
In 2016, Clinton defeated Trump in Zapata, which is 94 percent Hispanic, with 65 percent of the vote to Trump’s 32 percent. But in 2020, Trump edged Biden 53-47, picking up 1,000 voters in the 12,000 person county.
For many in the Valley, economic issues take priority over other political concerns. Rising prices for essentials are outpacing local wages, creating significant financial strain. “For most residents, the bottom line is being able to bring enough money home,” explained Col. Ross Barrera, a Starr County GOP organizer.
Prominent local Republicans, like former Rep. Mayra Flores, argue that Democratic policies on issues like border security and foreign aid spending have distanced Hispanic voters from the party. “Latino voters in this region feel abandoned by the Democratic Party,” Flores noted. “They’re ready for a new direction after years of being taken for granted.”
Early voting data suggests high turnout and enthusiasm among local Republicans, and GOP leaders are hopeful this energy will translate into record support. If the trend continues, the Rio Grande Valley could see a historic political shift, giving new momentum to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
The shift would also match national polling. Newsweek recently reported that “Donald Trump has made inroads with Hispanic voters in the final days of the presidential race, according to a poll released Wednesday by The Economist and YouGov.
Vice President Kamala Harris is ahead of Trump, 52 percent to 40 percent, among registered Hispanic voters, according to the survey, which was conducted between October 26 and 29. The same poll found Harris ahead by a razor-thin margin across all 1,587 registered voters who were surveyed, leading Trump 47 percent to 46 percent.
The 12-point gap among Hispanics is a significant margin in an extremely close election, but there are signs that Trump is improving with this key voting bloc as the November 5 election approaches.
In the same poll conducted between October 19 and 22, Harris was up by 17 points (55 percent to 38 percent) among Hispanic voters. A week before, in a survey conducted between October 12 and 15, Harris was leading by 25 points (60 percent to 35 percent). In the middle of September, the vice president was up by 28 points (60 percent to 32 percent).”
