Texas Republicans Get Major Warning Sign From Latino Voters—New Poll

A new poll delivered a major warning sign to Texas Republicans about their support among Latino voters ahead of this year’s midterm elections as Democrats hope to make the Lone Star State’s U. S. Senate and gubernatorial races competitive.

President Donald Trump’s inroads with Latino voters, a voting bloc that historically leaned toward Democrats, helped carry him to victory in the 2024 presidential race. But his support among those voters has slipped amid backlash to his economic and immigration policies, raising major red flags for Republicans approaching the midterms in states like Texas that have a sizable Latino population. While Trump won the state by double digits in 2024, Democrats believe a reversion among Latino voters could cause large shifts in Texas this year, boosting their confidence in their ability to compete in the traditionally Republican state.

Texans haven’t elected a Democrat to the U. S. Senate since Lloyd Bentsen won reelection to a fourth term in 1988.

Democrats have been able to make some races close, including the 2018 contest between GOP Senator Ted Cruz (51 percent) and Beto O’Rourke (48 percent). Newsweek reached out to leading Senate and gubernatorial candidates for comment via email. Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks to reporters in Austin on March 15, 2023.