California Latino support weakens for Kamala Harris with Election Day near, poll shows

SUMMARY

Latino support for Kamala Harris in California has taken a sharp decline just weeks before Election Day, according to a new UC Berkeley and Los Angeles Times poll. The poll shows Harris holding 54% of the Latino vote, compared to Donald Trump’s 35%. This is a significant drop from 2020, when Joe Biden won 75% of the California Latino vote. Jay Martinez, a Sacramento small business owner, reflects this shift. Once a Democrat who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, Martinez now supports Trump. He credits his decision to give Trump a chance and now aligns more with Republican values. Martinez’s story is emblematic of a broader trend of Latino voters moving toward the GOP, driven by economic concerns rather than racial or immigration issues. Harris, recognizing the shift, held a town hall on Univision in Las Vegas to shore up Latino support, while Trump’s similar event in Florida was postponed due to Hurricane Milton.