As Matt reported earlier this week, Nevada Democrats are facing a wake-up call as it relates to a key voting bloc just weeks before Election Day. Latinos in the state, considered a bellwether for how the demographic will vote, are lacking enthusiasm and may sit this election out. But that's not the only red flag Democrats are seeing from Latinos.
In Texas and Arizona, MSNBC heard from Latino voters who have decided they're not casting their votes this year for Democrats.
Journalist Jose Diaz-Balart said there are signs of a political shift among Latino voters, who are increasingly leaning Republican.
Maria Batres from El Paso, Texas, told him she used to be a Democrat but left the party because it "has changed a lot," finding that her values align more with the GOP.
"We're for God, country, family, and hard work," she explained.
Texas Latinos tell MSNBC they've switched from Democrat to Republican:
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 3, 2022
"We’re for God, country, family, and hard work"
“The fact of the matter is that we — you know, we don’t feel safe anymore [because of the lack of border security].” pic.twitter.com/Zg2i4BgTBX
Jose Arreola, also a former Democrat, is concerned with immigration and border security.
"The fact of the matter is, we don't feel safe anymore," he said.
Diaz-Balart also pointed back to an NBC/Telemundo survey that found the top concern for Latino voters is cost of living. Twenty-three percent of respondents named this as the most important issue facing the country. And while Democrats still enjoy a lead among this voting bloc, their advantage has steadily declined since 2016, from 63 percent to 54 percent, while Republicans have made gains.
