Latino support for Democrats is softening as inflation replaces COVID-19 as the top worry, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo.
Why it matters: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stands to benefit. The survey does not show a mass defection to the Republican Party, but DeSantis' favorability among Latinos improved by seven percentage points between December 2021 and March 2022, the poll shows.
- 46% of respondents in March had a favorable opinion of DeSantis, up from 39% from our last survey in December.
The big picture: Two trends since our last survey are hurting President Biden and his party: a waning intention to vote in the midterms, and a new GOP advantage on which party is better for the economy, Axios' Margaret Talev and Russell Contreras report.
What they're saying: "Getting prices under control is very clearly the number one priority for the majority of Hispanics and Latinos, and it underscores the challenges Biden is facing now," said Ipsos pollster and senior vice president Chris Jackson.
Between the lines: Partisanship plays a strong role on some issues. Inflation was a top worry for 52% of Republicans, 32% of independents and 28% of Democrats. COVID was a top worry for one in four Democrats but just 7% of Republicans.
- On a generic congressional ballot question, Latinos still were nearly twice as inclined to say they'd vote for a Democrat (30%) over a Republican (17%).
- But that gap has narrowed three percentage points since our last survey.
The intrigue: Asked which party better represents "people like you," 32% said the Democratic Party compared with 17% for the Republican Party. But those numbers represent a six-point slide for Democrats and a three-point gain for Republicans.
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