# Why is Trump popular with some Latinos? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 10, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231 "2020-09-10T03:24:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/21 "2020-09-10T17:23:49Z")
What? They’re assholes? ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/22 "2020-09-10T17:45:05Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > **It has been mentioned: Many of us self-described Latinos are not even remotely “immigrant”. My ancestors did not cross the border, the border crossed them. Attaching us to immigration/dreamers etc. with a welded chain as THE single issue about us is uncomfortable even for those of us who support the inclusive side.** > > Meanwhile, yes, our political positions are widely divergent. Heck, the leaders of the Puerto Rico Republican Party, for 120 years the biggest advocate for PR Statehood, and who regularly get elected to high office in the Island, have been since the 1990s tearing their hair out at how the _stateside_ Republicans have decided that nonetheless Puerto Rico statehood is some sort of Democrat Socialist plot. > > But, anyway, you say: sure, but how about the insults? Well, like a lot of Trump’s working-class supporters, many Latinos _are used to having to work around rude assholes with power_ . **They will take the position that “well, what white guy _doesn’t_ think of us as spics?” and proceed to vote about the conservative issues.** As a Latino, for me the issue is not how I see myself. The president could be Trump, Biden, some random person from North Sentinel Island, or an alien from another planet, and it wouldn’t affect my own identity. On the other hand, how others see me is very much the issue. I don’t want to be taken in for questioning by one of Trump’s lackeys just because they see me speaking Spanish in public, such as in this incident. > **[U.S. Border Patrol Detained U.S. Citizens for Speaking Spanish in Montana | ACLU](https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/us-border-patrol-detained-us-citizens-speaking)** Which brings me to your question about “what white guy doesn’t think of us as spics” as you put it. The answer? The white guy who voted for Joe Biden. The white guy who was appointed by Joe Biden to be secretary of Homeland Security (assuming he picks a white guy). The white guy who Joe Biden’s secretary of Homeland Security appoints to be in charge of hiring ICE and border patrol officers (assuming a white guy is hired to that position). The white ICE and border patrol officers hired under a Biden administration and working under rules where the federal government hasn’t scrapped racial sensitivity training. Those white guys won’t see me as “just another spic.” ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/23 "2020-09-10T17:48:09Z")
By “denigrating Latinos” do you mean his immigration policies? Not all Latinos are pro-immigration and many have strong Judaeo-Christain values which conflict with the policies of the Left. Nothing surprising about it. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/24 "2020-09-10T18:16:46Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Which brings me to your question about “what white guy doesn’t think of us as spics” as you put it. The answer? The white guy who voted for Joe Biden. The white guy who was appointed by Joe Biden to be secretary of Homeland Security (assuming he picks a white guy). The white guy who Joe Biden’s secretary of Homeland Security appoints to be in charge of hiring ICE and border patrol officers (assuming a white guy is hired to that position). The white ICE and border patrol officers hired under a Biden administration and working under rules where the federal government hasn’t scrapped racial sensitivity training. Those white guys won’t see me as “just another spic.” Good. Now how do we get that across to the Latino-for-Trump? Trump takes advantage of many people who are on the receiving end of his own abuse by counting on that they’ve become cynical and fatalist about it. How do we fix that? ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/25 "2020-09-10T18:21:43Z")
I don’t think you can. Being “one of the good ones” is a very appealing strategy for a lot of people. It can get good short-term results, but when it (almost inevitably) collapses, it will likely be too late to matter anymore or help anyone to change gears. ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/26 "2020-09-10T19:12:17Z")
“Strong Judaeo-Christain values [sic]”, huh? I assume that’s code for “anti-abortion uber alles”. That way you can ignore children in cages, official corruption and grifting in the White House not seen in a century or more, cutting virtually every government program that benefits the poor, the President’s long public history of adultery and sexual harrasment, and doing just about the worst job in the developed world of handling Covid-19, resulting in tens of thousands of excess fatalities. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/27 "2020-09-10T19:33:58Z")
My wife’s family is first generation Hispanic immigrants from South America. Most of them are Democrats but my brother-in-law is all about the “Land of the Free, American Dream, etc” mindset. I think Republicanism is, to him, a reputation of all the stuff his family left and embracing conservatism is his way of separating himself from his previous life. Sample size of one, of course, but I’d assume that there’s others who feel the same. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/28 "2020-09-10T22:42:52Z")
**Mrs Iggy** is Colombian. Though she has said almost nothing about politics in general over the years the one thing that riled her to the point of political activism was the proposed peace deal between the Colombian government and the FARC. (The deal was voted down in a required [plebiscite](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37537252) of the Colombian people.) The FARC have waged a decades long guerrilla civil war in Colombia often funding it through drug trafficking revenues. More than 220,000 deaths and millions of displaced persons are attributable to the FARC. The peace deal was negotiated under the administration of the left leaning president Juan Manuel Santos. His predecessor Ivan Duque Marquez ran his campaign with a central theme of opposition to this peace deal. (Manuel Santos’ predecessor Alvaro Uribe was also opposed to the peace deal.) It is in the context of this ongoing struggle with the FARC that those whose families were displaced (some US immigrants) and those whose families suffered a death in this violent struggle are much more likely to favor more conservative politicians and oppose the more liberal ones. Thus Colombian Americans tend to favor Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/29 "2020-09-11T16:47:06Z")
> [@JohnM](#): > > “Strong Judaeo-Christain values [sic]”, huh? I assume that’s code for “anti-abortion uber alles”. That way you can ignore children in cages, official corruption and grifting in the White House not seen in a century or more… Yes, that’s a big part of it but not the only issue. And I don’t think it’s Trump himself that’s popular; it’s the platform. Latinos can see the corruption as well as anyone else. And in case you haven’t noticed both Democrats/Liberals and Republicans/Conservatives vote for the party/platform, not for the candidate. If given the choice is there a Republican you’d choose to be president over Biden? I see people mock and ridicule Pence relentlessly but he is one of the least corrupt politicians. Somehow though I don’t see anyone on the Left voting for him. ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/30 "2020-09-11T17:14:51Z")
There is no platform, other than what Trump has seized on for the moment. And Pence is, to my mind, worse than Trump. With Trump you know what you’re getting, an amoral narcissist and pathological liar. In the interest of his own political advancement Pence has made common cause with his moral opposite, making him IMHO the worst kind of hypocrite. As to whether there is a Republican I could vote for over Biden, the answer for the current GOP is absolutely not. The only solution to the current state of the Republican party is to go the way of the Whigs. Beginning with Nixon’s Southern Strategy and culminating with the current disaster in the White House, whatever value the sorry once had is vestigial at best. ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/31 "2020-09-11T17:20:00Z")
Missed edit window, for “sorry” read “party”. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/32 "2020-09-11T17:24:27Z")
> [@JohnM](#): > > As to whether there is a Republican I could vote for over Biden, the answer for the current GOP is absolutely not. Only republican I could see voting for is John Kasich. He has consistently stood up to Trump since the beginning, wasn’t brow beaten by him during the debates and didn’t cow down to him once Trump won the nomination like the other toady Republicans did. Trump even approached him to be VP which Kasich turned down. Knowing that Trump just wanted him to be a puppet to care of the real job of being president while Trump would just golf and jerk off on Twitter. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/33 "2020-09-11T23:00:23Z")
This article (q.v.) implies Covid is a major factor for Latinos. It also discusses why many Latinos do not vote. I’d be interested in opinions on these points. (I subscribe - if paywalled I will summarize it.) > **[The Neglect of Latino Voters](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/pandemics-assault-latino-political-power/615979/)** > > The stakes have never been higher for millions of Latinos devastated by the pandemic and the economic crisis. That doesn’t mean they’ll vote. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/34 "2020-09-11T23:12:11Z")
Funny that immigrants from socialist countries aren’t keen on reestablishing that which they fled. To answer the OP, should there be an expectation of monolithic thought within large groups of people based on ethnic, racial, or linguistic background? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/35 "2020-09-11T23:47:25Z")
No one expects completely monolithic thought from diverse communities just because of ethnicity or language. It is appreciated there are long-established citizens, recent Dreamers and other immigrants. They are largely religious and value family and institutions. They come from many different countries with varying political form, history, economic security and traditions. There is an amusing (but likely widespread) comedy bit about how one apartment dweller loves the World Cup since he finally learns where all his neighbours come from “since I thought they were all Mexicans.” Latinos are frustrated by ignorance of their countries. Ask a Colombian how he feels about people who spell his country with a “u” or wrongly believe that since he is Colombian, he must be a matador. “I’m so tired of the stereotype. I can no longer wear tight bejewelled pants.” 😉 But this in no means denies cultural trends. Trump has been polarizing in ways other politicians have not. He has been more publically insulting, or more forthright (if you prefer - I do not) than any other president. There are many other important factors. I seek to understand them, not to judge them (as best I can, I have my own opinions). ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/36 "2020-09-22T15:00:53Z")
As part of a continuing public education project, here is more than you want to know about the “Latino vote” - including which six issues are more relevant than ‘beating Trump’ (viz.: Covid, health care costs, discrimination, jobs/wages, justice reform, immigration) > **[There’s No Such Thing As The ‘Latino Vote’](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/theres-no-such-thing-as-the-latino-vote/)** > > With only 42 days left until the election, Joe Biden has his work cut out for him with Latino voters. That’s according to his senior adviser Symone Sanders, who… ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/37 "2020-09-22T15:07:59Z")
I agree that the Latino vote is too general, as is the Asian vote. Immigrants from Cuba have a different perspective than people from Puerto Rico, and both have a different view than Mexican immigrants. In turn, Mexican migrant workers are not necessarily the same as Central American refugees. I’d say Mexican and Central American migrant workers and their communities tend to be pro-Dem but that’s not always true either. I’ve met more than a few Hispanic Americans who vote Republican. My experience has been that there are some individuals who don’t view themselves as being lumped together with the demographic as a whole. That’s true of any ethnic group. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/38 "2020-09-22T15:12:58Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > Cubans in particular, which are quite numerous in Florida for geographical reasons, tend to be Republican, as they are mostly people who fled from communist Cuba. My sense is they have a disdain for other Hispanics, perhaps because more of them are pure blooded Spanish compared to the mostly mestizo Mexicans and other Latin Americans, though I don’t know how true that is. Cuban refugees didn’t have to go through any trouble. The law allowed them legal status in the US as soon as they stepped on American soil. No other Latino immigrants benefited from such a policy. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/39 "2020-09-22T16:01:08Z")
Only 4% of US Latinos are Cuban. But it’s almost 30% in Florida. They are probably becoming more Democratic, since it would be hard for them to become even more Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231/40 "2020-09-23T14:23:48Z")
The good news 😉 is that Biden, apprised of el problema, has started playing Despacito on telephone messages. Ummm, great! This regional thing in American politics has always confused me. We all know charismatic people mirror others, want to seem like them, “someone you could drink a beer with” - despite often having gilded lives and not knowing the price of grocery staples since they haven’t shopped this decade. So when politicians say how much they love grits, or salsa verde or bhangra music - it often goes over _way_ more enthusiastically than one might expect from shameless pandering. And I don’t want to drink a beer with politicians - just run the country lawfully (and even better, ethically) and well. So, Latino Dopers - are you impressed if a politician speaks Spanish? If they have knowledge of “community issues” (to the extent this exists), if they avoid offensive tropes? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-popular-with-some-latinos/920231.md?page=3)