PHOENIX — Latino voters make up 20% of Arizona's electorate. It's a significant number. Even though most Latinos are expected to vote Democrat in the midterms, increasingly more of them are voting Republican.
With statewide races so close, even a slight shift to the right could have a profound impact on Election Day.
"Nosotras estamos listas para participar," We are ready to participate, State Senator Raquel Teran, the Arizona Democratic Party Chair, told Spanish language media Thursday. Party leaders were making a last-minute plea to Latinos to get out and vote. "We've been on the doors since June 2022, on the phones, it's not just a transactional relationship," Teran said.
Latinos were once thought to be reliable Democratic voters, but in Arizona and nationally there are signs that's changing.
Donald Trump won nearly 40% of Arizona's Hispanic vote in 2020.
The most ever by a Republican candidate for President in Arizona.
"The Latino vote has been an elusive one this election cycle. We see it in Texas and we see it in Arizona," said Marco Lopez.
Lopez was a candidate for governor in Arizona's Democratic primary. Katie Hobbs wouldn't debate him. An insult Lopez says resonates today.
"The Latino community voter, the Native American community voter, the African American community voter all felt insulted," Lopez said. "They feel insulted by the democratic party period. Because if you take these communities for granted for far too long eventually someone with an option, with an alternative will come around."
Two prominent Latinos, former Diamondbacks player Luis Gonzalez and Olympic Gold Medal Wrestler Henry Cejudo endorsed Kari Lake for Governor.
So has Catholic author, blogger and radio show host Jesse Romero. Romero broadcasts to 40 Catholic radio stations across the country from his home in Queen Creek.
Romero says social issues, like abortion, as well as political and economic issues, are steering Latinos away from the Democratic Party. "Hispanics are people of faith that love family. We're people who start small businesses and we are also people who have had horrible experiences with large governance," Romero said.
A NALEO Education Fund Poll reported 55% of Latino voters say they plan to vote for Democratic candidates for Congress this year. That's down from 70% in 2018.
Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego isn't buying it. Not in Arizona at least, where the average age of a Latino voter is 26.
"Let me tell you the age of a 26-year-old is when they start voting. I know a lot of them are right now. For different reasons, when they do, they're not voting republican." Gallego said.
According to Voto Latino, 74.5% of Arizona Latinos who have already voted this year say they voted Democrat. But the actual number of voters is down 20,000 from the same time in 2018.
