Progressives warn Biden's, Dems' economy messaging not resonating with Latinos
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Progressives are warning that what they see as poor messaging on the country's economic gains is weakening Latino support for Democrats, including President Biden, in Nevada and Arizona — two key battleground states.
Driving the news: Valiente, the research wing of the Way to Win Action Fund, today released findings from eight focus groups where Latino voters in both of those states expressed only "soft" support for Biden, adding that he did not do anything to help them or their families and that they did not know about Democrats' accomplishments over the past two years, such as the America Rescue Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
- The findings echo those in the latest Axios Latino-Ipsos poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo, which showed a dip in faith in Democrats' handling of the economy and in the party itself.
- About 19% of respondents in that poll, which surveyed Latinos across the country, said the Democratic party was good for the U.S. economy, a dip from 23% in Dec. 2021.
- About 26% of respondents said the Republican party was good for the economy, up from 21% in Dec. 2021.
- Yes, but: By nearly 3 to 1, Latinos in the Axios Latino-Ipsos poll said Democrats care more about them than Republicans, a declining but still dominant share.
Why it matters: Latinos are the fastest-growing electorate, with an estimated 34.5 million eligible voters.
- They can have a particularly important impact in Nevada and Arizona, where they helped propel Biden to a victory in 2020.
The big picture: Biden is running his 2024 reelection campaign with an aggressive focus on the economy. But Americans — including Latinos — are skeptical about the economy, and Republicans have long seized on the concerns.
- 46% of the respondents in a recent Pew Research Center study said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next year.
What they're saying: Democrats aren't reaching out often enough to Latino communities to tout their accomplishments, says Tory Gavito, president of Way to Win.
- Gavito adds that Democrats and the Biden administration need to be more proactive instead of just attacking Republicans on other issues.
- "It's not going to cut it, quite frankly. Republicans adapt really fast."
Maria Cardona, a senior adviser for the Democratic National Committee, told Axios that what the focus groups conducted by the Valiente "are portraying doesn't match with what just happened six months ago" in the midterm elections when Democrats outperformed Republicans in Arizona and Nevada.
- "When it mattered, Democrats put in massive record investment in the community, in the message about what this administration and what Democrats have done for the Latino community and what the contrast is with the huge draconian, extremist, anti-immigrant anti-Latino MAGA agenda that the other side represents," she added.
Between the lines: There's a disconnect between what many Latinos are personally experiencing — better economic conditions — and what their perception of the economy is, experts say.
- In the Axios Latino-Ipsos poll, 18% said their financial situation is better than before the pandemic, compared to 14% who said the same in October.
- 49% of respondents said their financial situation was about the same, and 30% said it was worse. The percentages are similar to what they were in October.
- "People do feel good about their personal economy" but all they hear is negative messages about inflation and high prices from Republicans, says Kristian Ramos, Valiente Action Fund campaign director.
- "Nothing we're doing is breaking through in a substantive way. That's the problem," Ramos adds.
The bottom line: Gavito says the party can still reach Latino voters in time for the 2024 election.
- "What was surprising to me was the quickness by which specifically Latinos can be persuaded about what Biden has done and what Democrats have done," Gavito tells Axios Latino. "You really just have to get into the arena."
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