By james art LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 — Las Vegas market worker Maria Salinas believes Democrats have failed their traditional Latino supporters for too long and — like many others in this key voting bloc — is ready to vote for Donald Trump for the first time.
“I think Trump can change things a little bit,” she said, speaking to AFP at the juice stand she runs in the battleground state of Nevada.
Democrats are offering “promises and promises … but nothing is changing for us,” said Salinas, whose relatives have been waiting years to get the legal right to move to the United States.
“I’m going to vote for Trump this time to see if he helps us.
Latinos are the second largest ethnic group in the United States and make up 22 percent of Nevada voters.
That share has grown rapidly to become a vital factor in elections in the southwestern swing state, as thousands of immigrants are lured each year by the promise of work in the glitzy casinos and hotels of Las Vegas.
Democrats have won every presidential election in Nevada since 2008. But just two weeks before this year’s election, Harris leads Trump in Nevada by just half a point in the polls.
“I’ve never understood why they always insist that Latinos should be Democrats,” said Las Vegas restaurant owner Javier Barajas.
“The Democrats have not helped us at all,” adds the Mexican, who crossed the border in the 1980s and ended up in the gambling metropolis by accident.
Barajas built his gastronomic empire from scratch, but says the highlight of his “American Dream” story was hosting Trump and President Joe Biden at his restaurants earlier this year.
Shaking Biden’s hand — just before he withdrew as the Democratic nominee — was “very nice, my honor.”
But meeting Trump “was more than an honor because he is the right person for this country,” Barajas said.
The restaurateur proudly displays a pair of gold sneakers with the Trump logo, a gift from the former president’s visit.
With this election, Barajas is ready to publicly call himself a Republican voter for the first time.
“Now, yes, I say it. Because I’m very upset with the Democrats and all their promises,” he said.
“It’s time to tell them, ‘OK, enough is enough.’ We disagree with you. They should take us more seriously.
“The Criminals”
While Latinos in the United States generally continue to lean toward the Democratic Party, that national margin has narrowed.
In 2012, a whopping 71 percent of Hispanics voted Democratic compared to 27 percent Republican.
By 2020, the gap had narrowed to 66 percent Democrats and 32 percent Republicans.
A recent UnidosUS poll found that only 57 percent of Latinos favored Harris and 34 percent favored Trump.
Some Latino voters blame the current Democratic administration for rising costs of living and are unhappy with its immigration and border policies.
Barajas, for example, believes that Trump’s promises of mass deportations, if he gets to the White House, will only affect “criminals.”
“He’s not going to go after the workers,” said Barajas, who spoke personally with Trump for about 10 minutes during the former president’s visit.
While he discussed with Trump how much Latinos despise his anti-immigration rhetoric, Barajas didn’t take it personally. And he is not alone.
A majority of US Hispanics believe Trump is not talking about them when he accuses immigrants of eating pets, being criminals and “tainting the blood” of the country, according to a major New York Times survey this month.
“Immigrant Parents”
Harris’ elevation to the Democratic nomination appears to have improved her party’s position in the Hispanic presidential race, at least compared to Biden.
“She is the child of immigrant parents,” said 54-year-old Ricardo Fernandez.
He thinks Democrats just need to get their message across better to Hispanics.
“Many Latin Americans are not well informed” about the threat Trump poses, he added.
“It’s really important that the Hispanic community pay attention to what’s at stake. We’re talking about one candidate who wants to help the middle class and another whose plan is to empower millionaires and billionaires.
“So where does that leave Latinos? How many Latinos are millionaires in the United States?” he asked.
It’s a widespread concern in North Las Vegas, a Latino stronghold and home to the sprawling, colorful Broadacres Market.
There, mostly Hispanic workers like Salinas voice concerns ranging from the economy to struggles with obtaining legal papers and status.
Carlos Reyes, 57, who runs a clothing stand, said he felt more inclined to support Harris because “she started like everyone else, from the bottom.”
But even he is undecided, just days before the vote. — AFP