Press Release

March 4, 2025

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New Poll Finds Trump and Musk Underwater with Latinos on Economy Ahead of Address to Congress

Somos Votantes Releases First Comprehensive Polling on Latino Voters Post-election Highlighting Unfavorable Views of Trump, His Handling of the Economy, Musk’s DOGE, and More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of the President’s address to Congress on Tuesday, Somos Votantes is unveiling the first post-election poll on Latino voters, providing the earliest and most comprehensive insights into how this pivotal voting bloc perceives the Trump administration and economy in the wake of the 2024 election.


Among its findings, the poll reveals that President Trump is underwater with Latino voters when it comes to his favorability, job approval and handling of the economy. Most members in his administration are viewed unfavorably, notably, Elon Musk. And, as Latino voters continue to grapple with the rising cost of living, Trump’s economic agenda – including tax cuts for the wealthy, slashing popular programs through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficient (DOGE), and increasing costs by implementing tariffs – is deeply unpopular.


As Trump prepares to address the nation on Tuesday, these findings highlight a major disconnect between his priorities and how Latino voters are feeling about kitchen table issues – offering a critical glimpse into the shifting political landscape ahead of 2026.

Key findings include:

  • Trump is underwater with Latino voters by double-digits, holding a net -12 favorability rating (55% unfavorable), with nearly half (47%) feeling “very unfavorable” toward him.
  • Elon Musk is even more unpopular with Latino voters, with a net -16 favorability rating by name and a net -17 with introduction. 
  • Economic concerns dominate Latino voter priorities, with 67% rating the U.S. economy as poor and only 14% saying they live comfortably. The cost of living is by far their top concern (50%), followed by healthcare, jobs, and retirement security.
  • And Latino voters believe Trump is not focused on their concerns – instead, they perceive his attention to be on the border and immigration issues while neglecting inflation, jobs, and healthcare—the most important concerns for Latino families. While over half of Latinos polled rated inflation and the cost of living as a top concern, only 17% of Latino voters polled thought Donald Trump was actually focused on that issue.
  • Trump’s economic record is a major liability – 63% believe he prioritizes the wealthy over working families, and his handling of the economy has a net -13 disapproval rating.
  • Trump’s economic agenda is deeply unpopular – including majorities who strongly disapprove of Musk’s DOGE (60%), Trump’s tariffs agenda (60%), and tax cuts for the wealthy (60%). 
  • Awareness of Trump’s actions increases disapproval – After learning more about Trump’s policies, Latino voter disapproval of him grew by 7 points (-18 net), with 25% shifting more negatively.
  • Latino voters overwhelmingly favor Democrats in 2026 – Democrats hold a 16-point lead on the generic congressional ballot (53% Democrat vs. 37% Republican), with strong voter motivation (59% extremely motivated to vote).

“Latino voters expect Donald Trump to deliver on his promises to slash prices. Instead, he is focused on everything but inflation and the cost of living,” said Melissa Morales, Founder and President of Somos Votantes. As Trump prepares to address a nation reeling from rising prices, our research provides the first real look at the disconnect in priorities between Latino voters and this chaotic administration. Overwhelmingly preoccupied by the cost of living, healthcare, and economic stability, Latino voters see a complete disconnect from an administration that appears to be completely out of step with their concerns. Rather than lowering costs for hardworking Latinos, Trump is giving Elon Musk and Congressional Republicans free rein to cut taxes for the wealthy—slashing in the process Medicaid and other key economic programs, which could raise prices on working people even more. With Trump’s favorability underwater by double digits, this is a wake up call for an administration that prioritizes the billionaires and the wealthy over working people.”

"Our comprehensive polling paints a clear picture: there’s a disconnect between the Trump administration's priorities and the pressing concerns of Latino voters," said Rosa Mendoza, Vice President at Global Strategy Group. "What’s particularly striking is the intensity behind their sentiment – with nearly half of Latino voters holding ‘very unfavorable’ views of the President and strong majorities firmly opposing his economic agenda. The numbers don't lie — President Trump's economic policies are not popular and an overwhelming majority of Latino voters see them benefiting the wealthy rather than addressing their immediate financial worries.”


You can access a memo on the poll results here.

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About Somos Votantes

Somos Votantes is a Latino-led, Latino-focused organization that runs some of the largest independent Latino civic and voter engagement programs in the country. We envision a nation where hardworking Latinos have the opportunities and tools to fully participate in our democracy. Somos Votantes seeks to empower hardworking Latinos in shaping the future of our democracy, primarily through non-partisan civic engagement programs, by increasing our participation in elections and advocating for progressive policies. Visit https://www.somosvotantes.com/ for more information on this program and other projects, and follow the organization on Instagram, Facebook, and X.