SouthernWorldwide.com – A comprehensive new poll reveals that affordability and the economy are the paramount concerns for Latino voters as the 2026 midterm elections approach. The survey of 3,000 registered Latino voters nationwide indicates that these “kitchen table” issues significantly outweigh others, including immigration.
The Unidos Bipartisan Poll of Hispanic Voters: The Road to 2026, obtained exclusively by CBS News, found that 53% of Latino voters identify the cost of living and inflation as their primary concern. This is followed by jobs and the economy at 36%, housing at 32%, healthcare at 30%, and immigration reform at 20%.
More than a third of respondents believe the economy has worsened over the past year, with only 14% feeling it has improved. This sentiment of declining economic stability is fueling dissatisfaction with the current political landscape.
The poll indicates that 65% of Latino voters feel President Trump and congressional Republicans are not doing enough to improve the economy, a figure that has increased by 5 points since April. Furthermore, half of those surveyed believe Mr. Trump’s economic policies will negatively impact them personally in the coming year.
This economic pessimism extends to dissatisfaction with Washington. A significant 81% of Latino voters believe Congress is failing in its checks-and-balances role. Additionally, 62% disapprove of the Republican Party’s leadership in Congress, with 61% blaming Republicans for a recent government shutdown, compared to 22% who fault Democrats.
Clarissa Martinez de Castro, vice president of UnidosUS, highlighted this disconnect. “Hispanic voters keep stressing the need to address low wages and the rising cost of living, yet feel that the administration and Republicans whom they hold most responsible for the shutdown are not focusing enough on this,” she told CBS News.
Martinez de Castro also noted a broader concern among Hispanic voters regarding civil rights, freedoms, and personal safety. This, she suggested, might explain why an overwhelming 81% are concerned that Congress is granting the president too much authority and power.
In the poll, 64% of Latinos disapprove of Mr. Trump’s job performance. Notably, 13% of his 2024 supporters indicated they would not vote for him again, and an additional 9% remain uncertain. The key issues influencing opinions of the president include the cost of living, inflation, immigration arrests and deportations, jobs, and cuts to essential programs like Medicaid and food assistance.
These findings present a stark contrast to Mr. Trump’s 2024 performance among Hispanic voters, a demographic that played a crucial role in his return to the White House. The current economic pessimism and disapproval of congressional Republicans could significantly alter Latino turnout and partisan alignment in the upcoming midterm cycle.
If the midterms were held today, 52% of surveyed Latinos would vote for the Democratic House candidate, compared to 28% for the Republican. This represents a widening partisan gap since 2024, when Mr. Trump secured 48% of the overall Latino vote and 54% of Latino men, according to Pew Research.
Despite this shift, Latino voters largely stand by their 2024 presidential vote choices. When asked if they would vote for President Trump or former Vice President Harris again, 78% of Trump supporters and 93% of Harris supporters affirmed their previous choice.
Daniel Garza of the right-leaning LIBRE initiative commented on the current political climate in an interview with CBS. “The fascinating part is that the Democrats haven’t really lost Latino voters, but they’re not winning them back,” he stated. “We’re at this inflection point. And they’re waiting for somebody to win them over with something positive, productive that’s going to move us forward.”
Garza believes that while Trump may not be meeting expectations, Democrats have been inactive. He described them as “obstructionists” during the ongoing government shutdown. He predicted that if the economy improves under the Trump administration’s policies by spring, “Democrats may lose (Latino voters) forever.”
The poll also indicates that Latino voters lean towards Democrats on a range of issues. 55% believe the Democratic Party cares “a great deal” about the Latino community, versus 29% for Republicans. One in three perceive the GOP as “hostile” towards Latinos.
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When asked which party they trust most on key policy areas, Democrats hold an advantage on issues like healthcare, while the GOP maintains an edge on border security.
The bipartisan survey included over 400 registered Latino voters sampled in Arizona, California, Florida, Colorado, Texas, and Georgia.
In California, where a special election is set to decide on a ballot measure that could allow state Democrats to redraw congressional districts, Latino voter turnout is expected to be a significant factor. California has the largest Latino-eligible electorate.
Both sides of the Proposition 50 debate are actively engaging with the Hispanic population. The Democratic National Committee has launched a bilingual organizing initiative in California, involving 41,000 volunteers for canvassing and phone banking in traditionally Latino communities.
Regarding immigration, the survey reveals deep concerns about civil liberties and public safety. 72% of respondents oppose a recent Supreme Court decision allowing immigration agents to use language, appearance, and work location as grounds for stops. 59% feel their rights and liberties are less secure than before, and approximately half oppose deploying U.S. troops for crime or immigration enforcement.
The Supreme Court’s decision allowed federal immigration authorities to stop individuals in Southern California based on factors like apparent race or ethnicity, speaking Spanish or English with an accent, being at a day laborer pickup site, or their occupation. In the survey, 41% of respondents fear they or someone close to them might be arrested by federal immigration agents, even if they have legal status.
Nearly half (49%) expressed “very concerned” that they or someone close could become a victim of political violence, with 44% attributing the rise in such violence primarily to Republican rhetoric.
The UnidosUS survey was conducted between October 8 and October 22 by BSP Research and Shaw & Company Research. Daron R. Shaw, head of Shaw & Company Research, is part of the polling team for Fox News. BSP Research previously conducted polls for Democrats in 2024.
CBS News polling throughout the 2024 campaign consistently showed dissatisfaction with the economy and rising prices as key drivers of voter decisions. This year, CBS News polling also indicated that many voters remain unhappy with the nation’s direction and the economy specifically.
According to a CBS News national survey in October, most Latinos rank either the economy/jobs (26%) or inflation (25%) as the most important issue facing the country. Two-thirds of Latinos rate the national economy negatively.
Mr. Trump’s job approval rating among Latinos has fallen to 38%, down from a high of 49% at the start of his term. His approval rating for handling inflation has also dropped to 32% among Latinos.
Majorities now believe that Mr. Trump’s policies are costing the U.S. jobs and making them financially worse off. Nationwide, most Latinos express the belief that, regardless of their support for him, Mr. Trump is not fulfilling the promises he made during his campaign.
