MSNBC guest Maria Hinojosa suggested that many Latino voters want to identify with White Americans as they shift toward the Republican Party. Hinojosa, founder of Futuro Media, made these remarks during a discussion about US vice president Kamala Harris‘ lead among Latino voters, which has been narrowing since the 2016 election.
When asked by MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart about Harris’ 14-point lead over Donald Trump among Latino voters, Hinojosa pointed out a concerning trend.A recent NBC-Telemundo poll revealed that while Harris still holds a lead, the Democratic advantage has dropped to its lowest level in four election cycles.
“And what I said to you when we asked a question was, Latinos want to be White. They want to be with the cool kids,” Hinojosa said, reflecting on conversations with Latino voters who view Trump as a “good businessman,” despite his controversial record, according to Fox News. “No he’s not, he had bankruptcies,” she said, noting that these voters are reluctant to be associated with the immigrants disparaged by Trump, including Hinojosa herself, a Mexican immigrant.
She cautioned that this shift in Latino voter sentiment would be challenging for Harris, saying, “But those numbers? They could cost Kamala Harris the election.”
According to the NBC poll, Harris holds 54% support among Latino voters, while Trump garners 40%. Another 6% of respondents were uncertain about their voting intentions. Meanwhile, CNN’s Harry Enten claimed that Harris is also struggling with voters of colour. He said that Harris’ support among Hispanic voters in the Sun Belt has dropped significantly compared to previous elections.