Latinos Now Have Least Party Loyalty Of Any Major Voting Group And Are Most Likely To Identify As Independents, Analyst Says

Latinos now have the least party loyalty of any major voting group and are the most likely to identify as independents, according to a political consultant.

Speaking to Axios, consultant Mike Madrid, author of "The Latino Century: How America's Largest Minority is Transforming Democracy," told the outlet at there has been a "dealignment" in the demographic's political tendencies, and can now be divided into three large groups: MAGA, progressives and disillusioned nonvoters.

He described the members of the first group as those aligned with Republican politics in the Trump era, siding with economic populism, cultural conservatism and anti-establishment sentiment. The group includes working-class men, small-business owners and evangelical or Catholic voters, according to Madrid.

The second group is more focused on movements including labor rights, racial justice, climate activism and student debt relief. They are mostly urban, college-educated and more likely to be women and vote. However, Madrid noted, they are quick to disengage if candidates fall short on their stated values.

The disillusioned nonvoters, in turn, are largely disengaged and either don't vote or do it inconsistently. They are largely motivated by economic pressure, rather than ideology.

Madrid told the outlet that both Democrats and Republicans should shift their approach to those they want to appeal to. "Latinos aren't listening to Ranchera music at construction sites as much as they're listening to Joe Rogan's podcast," he claimed. "We're the only ones who are a true swing vote for rational reasons."

Some in the GOP have been sounding the alarm about the party losing Latinos after overperforming with the demographic in the 2024 election. One of them is Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, who warned that Latinos are leaving the party in droves and the party must "reverse course" to address the matter.

"Today we are watching it unfold in real time. Hispanics are leaving the GOP in large numbers, and pretending otherwise won't fix it. As Republicans, we must reverse course and act now," she said in a social media publication in late January.

The publication took place after a poll showed Trump's approval rating among Latinos has plunged 23 points since the beginning of his term. CNN data analyst Harry Enten analyzed the figures in a recent show, saying the collapse happened with a speed he has "rarely" seen before.

"I'll just say there has been a massive backlash against the president of the United States among Latino voters," he added. Elsewhere in the analysis, Enten said the administration's immigration crackdown played a large role in the drop, noting that the demographic was split on Trump's deportation plans at the beginning of the second term, but the number is now at -34 points.

"You rarely ever see a 35-point decline over a year, but it is happening with Trump among Latinos on his deportation program," he noted. "'No, no, no,' is what the Latino community is saying."