Trump’s favourability drops among Hispanic adults, new poll shows

The share of Hispanic adults who think the country is heading in the wrong direction has also risen from 63 per cent in March to 73 per cent now.

AP said the shift may worry Republicans as they try to hold on to support from a fast-growing part of the electorate.

Concerns about daily costs

Many Hispanic voters backed Trump last year because of economic concerns. Yet AP reported that many still feel financial pressure despite Trump’s promises.

Alejandro Ochoa, a 30-year-old warehouse worker in California who voted for Trump, told AP that he was unhappy about rising prices. “I’m still getting done dirty at the grocery store,” he said. “I’m trying to cut corners where I can, but that bill is still insanely expensive.”

More Hispanic adults say the cost of food, housing and health care are major worries, compared with Americans overall.

Approval on economy and immigration falls

In the election last year, 43 per cent of Hispanic voters backed Trump, up from 35 per cent in 2020, according to AP VoteCast. A majority still supported Democrat Kamala Harris.

The new AP-NORC poll found a decline in approval of Trump’s handling of the economy and immigration, two issues that were strengths for him last year. Overall approval among Hispanic adults has dropped from 41 per cent in March to 27 per cent.

Fel Echandi, who lives in Florida, told AP that Trump’s immigration policies make many people feel unsafe and could harm the economy. “A lot of people rely on immigrants to do labour in certain areas,” he said. “When that gets affected, all prices go up.”

Views shift even among Hispanic Republicans

Support among Hispanic Republicans has also slipped. AP said 66 per cent now have a favourable opinion of Trump, compared with 83 per cent in a poll from September 2024.

About two-thirds of Hispanic adults under 45 and Hispanic men now have an unfavourable view, AP reported.

Teresa Covarrubias, a retired teacher in Los Angeles, told AP she worries the president is straying from legal norms. “My major concern is the disregard for the Constitution and the law,” she said.

Immigration more important for Hispanic adults

The poll found that Hispanic adults are more likely than other groups to say immigration matters to them personally. Two-thirds listed it as a priority.

Views differ on enforcement, but AP said only around one-quarter support deporting all people living in the United States without legal status.

Rick Alvarado, a Republican from San Diego, told AP he backs Trump’s actions in some cities but wants legal options for those not involved in crime. “The people who are productive should have a pathway to stay here somehow,” he said.

The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,289 adults from 9-13 October. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points for the whole group and 6.9 points for Hispanic adults.