Raquel Rosario Sánchez

How Trump won over Latino voters

A flag reads 'Latinos for Trump' outside a Trump rally during the campaign (Credit: Getty images)

A huge surge of support from the Latino community helped Donald Trump to victory in the US election. I could never envision myself voting for Donald Trump. But my aunt in New York, who became a citizen many years ago did just that: last week she cast a ballot for the Republican candidate. So why did she, and so many other Latinos, turn to Trump?

There has been an outpouring of racism and xenophobia from liberal circles aimed at the Latino community for choosing to back Trump. Jokes about mass deportation and accusations of how ignorant, uneducated or misogynist the community is for voting Republican are thriving.

But my aunt isn’t a stupid woman who doesn’t know what’s good for her: she is tough, clever and hard-working. Not every woman’s vote revolves around reproductive rights; not every Latino vote hinges on immigration. For her, it came down to the economy: 

The economy was the priority for many people in the community.

Get Britain's best politics newsletters

Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in