Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following President Trump’s address to Congress, Somos Votantes, which runs some of the largest independent Latino civic and voter engagement programs in the country, released the following statement from Founder and President Melissa Morales:
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“Tonight, President Trump confirmed what we continue to hear from Latino voters: he is clearly disconnected from the economic struggles facing working people. Instead of focusing on the rising cost of living, skyrocketing rent, or the affordability of groceries and healthcare, he delivered more empty promises. Latino voters aren’t buying it." 

“Our new polling shows that Latino voters’ number one priority is, by far, lowering the cost of living. They want their leaders to tackle this issue head on – addressing the cost of basic expenses like groceries, rent, prescription drugs, and more. But instead, President Trump has ignored their concerns with his cost-raising trade war that just today could add $12,000 to the cost of buying a car or truck, make construction materials more expensive, and drive up prices at the grocery store. President Trump had a choice on these tariffs, and he chose the path that will make life less affordable.”

“While Latino families worry about affording basic necessities, Trump is focused on his expensive, impulsive and reckless tariffs, handing tax breaks to billionaires like Elon Musk, and using Musk’s DOGE to slash programs that equip working families with the tools and opportunities to build a good life. As a result, Latinos are sending a clear message: after just six weeks, they are overwhelmingly rejecting the Trump-Musk agenda of putting the wealthiest ahead of everyone else’s chance to succeed.”

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Earlier this week, Somos Votantes released 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.

Key findings include: 
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• 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%). ‍
• 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 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. 

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.

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