You’ve seen the headlines. Joe Biden’s support among Latinos is slipping. The community that overwhelmingly backed him in 2020 is having some serious second thoughts. What happened? As midterms loom, Democrats are scrambling to shore up Latino voters. But Biden’s lack of progress on issues important to this critical bloc – immigration, jobs, inflation – may already have them looking elsewhere. If Biden wants a second term, he needs to take Latino priorities seriously. And fast. The clock is ticking on his chance to re-energize this essential base. This Latino support slump could make or break the 2024 race.
Biden’s Declining Approval Among Latinos
Biden’s been losing ground with Latino voters, and that’s bad news if he runs again in 2024. His approval rating with Latinos has dropped from around 60% at the beginning of his term to just 43% today according to recent polls.
No Mas Excuses
Latino voters want results, not excuses, and so far Biden isn’t delivering. He campaigned on promises like immigration reform, increasing the minimum wage, and tackling climate change. But his agenda has stalled in Congress, and Latinos are frustrated with the lack of progress. Many feel Biden isn’t prioritizing the issues that matter most to them.
Kamala Isn’t Connecting Either
Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman of color in that role, hasn’t been able to turn things around. Her approval is even lower than Biden’s among Latinos. Some see her as out of touch, and her messaging isn’t resonating. The White House needs to make real investments to reach Latino voters before it’s too late.
What’s At Stake
If Biden and Democrats can’t win back Latino support before 2024, it puts their political futures at risk. Latinos make up a growing portion of the electorate, especially in key states like Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. Biden’s already narrow margins of victory in some states could evaporate without the Latino vote.
The good news is Biden still has time to make amends, but he has to take action now. What will he do to make good on his promises, connect with the Latino community, and earn back their trust? The clock is ticking.
Reasons for Biden’s Eroding Latino Support
Biden had high hopes for Latino voters in 2020 after promising immigration reform and criticizing Trump’s harsh policies. But after a year in office, Biden’s approval rating among Latinos has dropped significantly. What gives?
Failure to Deliver on Key Promises
Many Latinos feel let down that Biden hasn’t yet delivered on major campaign promises like immigration reform. Though Biden proposed an immigration bill, it’s stalled in Congress with little progress. Latinos hoped Biden would undo Trump’s restrictive policies, but months later, many are still in place. This inaction and lack of priority on issues that deeply impact the Latino community have seriously damaged Biden’s standing.
Economic Concerns
Latinos have been hit hard economically by the pandemic, and they’re looking to Biden for relief and recovery. But stimulus checks and other aid have been slow to arrive. Latinos also hoped Biden would raise the minimum wage, but that promise remains unfulfilled. With Latinos suffering high rates of unemployment, poverty and lack of healthcare, economic support and reform are crucial. Biden’s failure to make them a top priority has spurred frustration and a loss of faith in his leadership.
Tone Deaf Messaging
Some of Biden’s messaging and policies have come across as tone deaf or insensitive to Latino experiences. For example, Biden’s focus on Black voters and “Black Lives Matter” seemed to ignore the discrimination and challenges Latinos also face. And Biden’s reversal of Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy was seen as prioritizing migrants over Latinos already in the U.S. Biden needs to work on crafting messages and policies that resonate with Latinos’ unique concerns and build trust that he values them. Otherwise, he may struggle to regain lost ground.
Overall, Biden has time to reconnect with Latino voters before 2024, but he needs to start delivering on promises, focus on the issues that matter most to them, and craft messaging that reflects a deeper understanding of the Latino experience. With work, Biden can rebuild his Latino support. The question is whether he’ll make that effort.
Implications for 2024 Presidential Election
If Biden’s support among Latinos continues to decline over the next few years, it could pose major problems for him in 2024. The Latino vote will be essential for any Democratic candidate to win key swing states like Florida, Arizona and Nevada. Without strong backing from this demographic, Biden may struggle to keep some Sun Belt states in the blue column.
Biden won about two-thirds of the Latino vote in 2020, but recent polls show his approval rating slipping into the mid-50s with this group. Some analysts argue Biden hasn’t prioritized issues important to many Latino communities, like immigration reform, economic opportunity and healthcare access. If he wants to shore up this key part of his base ahead of 2024, Biden will need to take action on these policy priorities and ramp up outreach efforts.
“The warning signs are flashing for Biden,” says Jorge Ramos, Univision news anchor and commentator. “He needs to re-engage with Latinos immediately and deliver on his campaign promises, or he risks losing a sizable portion of the Latino vote.” Without their full support, Biden’s path to re-election becomes much harder.
Some steps Biden could take to regain Latino trust and enthusiasm include:
-Pushing Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. This issue remains deeply important to many Latino voters. -Targeting additional economic aid and job opportunities to Hispanic communities, which have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
-Improving access to healthcare, educational opportunities and housing assistance for Latinos. -Appointing more Latinos to senior roles in his administration and consulting with key Hispanic leaders. Representation and input matter. -Traveling frequently to Latino population centers and speaking directly to Hispanic communities about his vision and priorities. His personal engagement can make a difference.
The 2024 election may still be a few years away, but time passes quickly in politics. Biden needs to start mending fences now if he wants to enter that contest with strong support from Latinos—and a solid chance of victory. The work to regain lost ground won’t be easy, but outreach, policy changes and delivering on promises can help Biden once again become the candidate Latinos choose.
Strategies for Biden to Regain Latino Voters
Focus on the Working Class
To win back Latino voters, Biden needs to double down on policies that support working families. Many Latinos are part of the working class, employed in jobs like construction, manufacturing, and retail. Biden should promote plans for job growth, raising the minimum wage, paid family leave, affordable childcare, and making higher education more accessible. These types of proposals show Biden’s commitment to helping hardworking Latinos achieve economic security and prosperity.
Highlight Key Values
Family, faith, and community are important values in Latino culture that Biden should emphasize. For example, Biden can talk about how his policies support strong, close-knit families, such as through paid parental leave, healthcare reform, and immigration reform that prevents family separation. Biden should also express the influence of his Catholic faith on his views, which many Latinos share. And Biden can discuss the importance of community institutions that Latinos rely on, pledging support for schools, small businesses, neighborhoods, and civic groups.
Improve Spanish-Language Outreach
To connect with Latino voters, Biden needs to meet them where they are—and that includes engaging with them in Spanish. Biden should give interviews with Spanish-language media, translate his campaign materials into Spanish, deliver speeches in Spanish, and advertise on Spanish radio stations and TV channels. Speaking to voters in their native language shows respect and helps to build trust in the candidate. It also ensures that Latinos have access to Biden’s message, even if their English proficiency is limited.
Champion Immigration Reform
Passing comprehensive immigration reform is important to most Latinos, even those born in the U.S. Biden should make immigration a priority issue, laying out a plan for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, protecting DACA recipients, and reuniting separated families. Biden can remind voters that he served as VP in an administration that created DACA and pushed for reform. If Biden can lead on this issue, he will regain the confidence of many Latino voters.
With the right message and outreach, Biden has a good chance to rebuild his base of Latino support before 2024. Focusing on the issues that matter most to Latinos and communicating in an authentic, culturally-sensitive way can help Biden win back this critical voting bloc.
FAQs: Biden’s Latino Problem and the 2024 Election
Will Biden’s weak Latino support hurt him in 2024?
Most likely, yes. Biden severely underperformed among Latino voters in 2020 compared to past Democratic candidates. If he wants to win re-election in 2024, he’ll need to regain ground with this crucial voting bloc. His approval rating with Latinos is already slipping, so he has his work cut out for him.
Why are Latinos souring on Biden?
There are a few reasons Latinos seem to be losing enthusiasm for Biden:
- He hasn’t delivered on key promises like immigration reform. Biden campaigned on overturning Trump-era immigration policies and creating a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. But his administration has made little progress so far.
- His policies are seen as not progressive enough. Many Latino voters, especially younger ones, supported Bernie Sanders in the 2020 primary. Biden’s more centrist stances on issues like healthcare, education, and the environment may be turning some of them off.
- His outreach has been lacking. Biden has faced criticism for not prioritizing Latino outreach and engagement. His administration has been slow to appoint Latinos to key roles and has not effectively communicated with Latino groups. This lack of outreach likely contributes to the perception that Biden doesn’t care much about issues important to the Latino community.
- The economy is still struggling. Like other groups, Latinos are concerned about job opportunities, small business aid, and financial recovery from the pandemic. If economic conditions don’t improve substantially in the next few years, it may reflect poorly on Biden.
What can Biden do to regain Latino support before 2024?
To turn things around, Biden should take the following steps:
- Make immigration reform an immediate priority and take bold action.
- Adopt more progressive policies on healthcare, education, and climate change.
- Ramp up outreach to Latino groups and community leaders.
- Appoint more Latinos to senior administration roles.
- Effectively communicate how his policies will benefit the Latino community.
- Continue pushing an economic agenda that creates jobs and helps small businesses.
With some course corrections, Biden can rebuild trust and enthusiasm among Latino voters before the next election. But the clock is ticking, and half measures won’t be enough. Biden needs to show, through both words and actions, that Latinos are a top priority.
Conclusion
You feel me? If Biden wants to keep the keys to the White House, he needs to step up and address the real issues holding back so many Latinos. Show us that he gets what our communities need. Prove that he’ll fight for us as hard as we fight for our families. 2024 is right around the corner. The choice is his: inspire us or lose us. This isn’t the time for empty promise.