Old North News

When it comes to the economic challenges many face in the United States — decades-high inflation rates, gas prices that hovering near record highs, and high crime rates — many Americans blame flawed Democratic Party policies.

Hispanic Americans numbered 62.1 million in 2020 — making up 19% of the U.S. population and more than 9% of North Carolina's population, according to the Census Bureau. Recent poll results show that Hispanics, who historically tend to vote Democratic, are leaning toward the Republican Party for the upcoming midterms.

"Hispanic voters predict red wave, say Democrats use handouts and rhetoric to appease minorities," Fox News said in a tweet Wednesday.

A New York Times-Siena College poll released last week shows that among Hispanics, Democrats are statistically tied with Republicans on the generic congressional ballot. This represents a large political shift as Democrats held a 47-point edge with Hispanics during the 2018 midterms. Axios contends this shift represents "the biggest political story of our time.”

Fox interviewed some people within the demographic to get their insights on the change.

“The Democrats really lost working-class people," Chris Formoso, a first-generation Cuban and father of four, told Fox News. "These people have absolutely lost their minds. There is no way we could vote for them, especially when Republicans have been more focused on the issues that matter.”

Hector Olmo, a retired Puerto Rican police officer living in New Jersey, told Fox News he thinks that by embracing socialist ideas, the Democrats are turning away Hispanic voters.

"It's just been a downward spiral," he said, citing the inflation rate, gas prices, and rising crime rates that are plaguing much of the country. "There’s been no self-correction.”

Minority-owned small businesses are being disproportionately affected by crime across the country, especially in major cities like New York. Francisco Marte, president of the Bodega and Small Business Association, which represents 16,000 bodegas in New York City, told the Washington Times that rampant crime is the primary force driving Hispanic voters away from the Democratic Party.

He cited what he sees as inaction from New Yorkers in Congress, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

“She’s in favor of the criminals,” Marte said in the Washington Times report. “She’s in favor of the DA (District Attorney) She’s too liberal.”

Economic problems are affecting many people, as inflation acts as a hidden tax on the poor, and people of color are disproportionately in the lower end of the economic spectrum, according to the USA Today.

DaQuawn Bruce, an opinion contributor for USA Today, recently highlighted a June report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York that showed the inflation rate for Blacks to be 0.2 percentage points higher than the national average; for Hispanics, the rate was roughly 0.6 percentage points higher.

More surprisingly, perhaps, is how Hispanics view border security. Axios reports that Hispanics living on the U.S.-Mexico border are more likely to favor tougher border security measures that are mostly championed by the Republican Party.