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: 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.

Go deeper

Opening day is barely a week away. If you haven't been following baseball, here are some talking points for when you get cornered at a party:

The big picture: The Tampa Bay Rays' roster appears to be set with just a few question marks, mostly about pitchers.

• Flashback: The Rays have been known to shake things up at the last minute, so anything could happen.

Some names to know:

• Wander Franco returns after a strong rookie season and signing the largest contract in team history.
• Corey Kluber, the two-time American League Cy Young Award winner who joined Tampa Bay as a free agent before the lockout, has become a leader.
• Taylor Walls, a switch hitter, is set to replace Joey Wendle from last year's squad. Wendle was traded to Miami.

The big question: Pitching staff.

• Fans could see as many as 14 or 15 pitchers during the season's opening month, including relievers who contributed to the Rays' first 100-win season in 2021.
• Manager Kevin Cash's strategy is to use the right pitcher in the right moment, and it has served to revolutionize the game.

The wild card: Rays players have been experimenting during spring practice with PitchCom electronic signaling devices that allow them to communicate wirelessly, without hand signals, via a remote control pad the catcher wears on his wrist and receivers in the hats of pitchers and infielders.

• MLB hasn't decided whether to allow the devices during games, which could prevent sign stealing and speed up the pace of play.
• Questions remain about whether they're loud enough and hack-proof.

• Darryl Shaw's Collaborative Werx office space will be tailored to the defense industry. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
• In an overnight crash in Myakka City, two people were killed, a woman and three children left in critical condition, and a man seriously injured. (Bradenton Herald)
• Tampa City Council Chair Orlando Gudes says he has no plans to step down after a former aide filed harassment complaints against him. (Bay News 9)

Vaishnavi More is CEO of Archslate, a talent marketplace that offers eLearning and hiring automation for the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.

• Less than a year after its May 2021 launch, Archslate has raised $700,000 in pre-seed funding, far surpassing More's expectation of $450,000.

We asked More if she'd share her advice for finessing a major deal. When the stakes are high, how do you bring two sides together?

1. Always believe in yourself, no matter what: "As a founder of a young, fast-growing company, it is important that you listen to everybody but carry forward only the things that will matter to the success of your company."

2. Don't stop at commitments: "Fundraising can be an exhaustive process but the key is to keep raising 'til you have the final dollar in the bank. For me, that resulted in an exciting oversubscribed round with some incredible investors."

• "A lot of founders will stop all their efforts when they get a few verbal commitments, waiting eagerly for the money to come in, but that won't always materialize as people can back out."

3. Traction is everything: "Never forget your users, they are the lifeline of your company. Always remember why you started the company and question yourself twice a day whether it is fulfilling that key purpose."

🚪 Open the door to a new career with our Job Board.

1. Director of Talent Acquisition at Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

2. Senior DevOps Engineer at Syniverse.

3. Vice President IT at iQor.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a Job.

Even better than Taco Tuesday: It's Tampa Bay Taco Week!

• For the next 10 days, Tampa Bay restaurants are offering taco and drink specials, sponsored by our friends at Creative Loafing.

What we're excited for: $27 all-you-can-eat tacos all day next Tuesday and $27 all-you-can-drink margaritas from 7-9pm daily at 7th and Grove.

More good news: A portion of this year's proceeds benefits WUSF Public Media.