Two years ago, President Trump made historic gains with Hispanic voters nationwide and won a majority of Texas Hispanics, upending conventional wisdom.
But now, Democrats see signs that Hispanics could shift back, pointing to widespread frustration with the state of the economy and immigration enforcement, and Mr. Trump’s sagging approval ratings.
Hispanics make up more than 30% of Texas’ eligible electorate, making them a key constituency in the state’s Senate, gubernatorial and House races. Polls show a tight contest between Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton, and GOP Gov. Greg Abbott’s reelection bid against Democrat Gina Hinojosa could be close, too.
“There’s a Hispanic hurricane coming,” predicted Democratic strategist and CBS News political contributor Chuck Rocha, who advises Talarico and Hinojosa’s campaigns. “We just don’t know quite yet if it’s going to be Category 2 or Category 5, but it’s washing ashore right in front of the GOP, and they don’t know what to do about it.”
But Republicans say enthusiasm for Democrats is still muted.
“I think most voters couldn’t tell you what the Democrat plan is for bringing down prices,” said Daniel Garza, president of the conservative LIBRE Initiative.
In one competitive House race in South Texas, both candidates expressed concerns to CBS News about the Trump administration’s immigration tactics.
The Democratic candidate, Tejano music star Bobby Pulido, said “there’s chaos in the streets” due to “aggressive ICE enforcement.”
Incumbent GOP Rep. Monica De La Cruz predicted that Texas will remain red. “But I do think that it’s a wake-up call for Republicans to remain focused on affordability, and to come to a solution when it comes to immigration,” she said.
