Latinos are becoming the largest non-white voting bloc in the U.S; however, their political representation is less than that. In 2016, 27.3 million Latinos were eligible to vote, and in the 116th Congress, only 36 members of the House of Representatives and four senators are Latinos. That is, 8% and 4% representation in the U.S. Congress, respectively, in a country in which Latinos make up 17.8% of the population.
Next year, a record 32 million Latinos are projected to be eligible to vote, accounting for just over 13% of possible voters. And though this percentage might seem like a small number, both the Republican and the Democratic parties are paying attention to these voters.
Latinos’ regional distribution is one reason why the parties are particularly interested in this demographic. Over half of Hispanics in the U.S. reside in just three states: About 26% live in California, followed by Texas (19%) and Florida (9%). Other states that have a defining Latino voting audience are Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. 49% of the latter state’s population is Latino. Once considered red states, this list of states with significant Latino presence is turning purple on its way to becoming blue.
According to Latino Decisions, 50% of Latinos view the incumbent president as being hostile towards them. Moreover, the same poll informs that only 19% of Latinos want to re-elect Trump.
We strongly encourage members of our community to register to vote to exercise their right to vote and to be represented in politics.