First look: 49% of Texas Latino voters have positive view of Democrats, poll finds

Nearly half of Hispanic voters in Texas surveyed in Emerson College's new nationwide initiative on Latinos said they have a very or somewhat positive view of the Democratic Party. Only 25% said the same about the Republican Party. Why it matters: The initiative is the latest by a polling group to gather information about the attitudes and beliefs of Latinos after decades of neglect as the number of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. rises. Latinos make up roughly 13.3% of registered voters in the U.S., the Pew Research Center found. In December, Axios unveiled its first Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo to gather information on top issues concerning Latinos. COVID-19 and crime topped the list in the first poll. In March, a second poll surveyed Latinos on LGBTQ issues and achieving the "American dream." Driving the news: The Emerson College Polling project, "Unlocking the Hispanic Vote," consists of a combination of focus groups and surveys to take the Latino pulse on voting, policy issues, politics and media in several states. Pollsters surveyed registered voters and non-registered citizens, and held three focus groups: Hispanic voters in English, Hispanic voters in Spanish, and Hispanic non-registered citizens in English. The findings released Thursday focused on Latinos in Texas. Later studies will cover Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. Between the lines: For decades, pollsters gathered limited data, or used sample sizes that were too small, to measure the attitudes and political beliefs of Hispanics. That led to candidates and businesses making false assumptions about Latinos, from voting behavior to consumer choices. What they're saying: "I think what we are seeing right now are oversimplified conclusions about a highly diverse community that has always had an independent streak," Democratic political consultant Vanessa Cárdenas told Axios when asked about whether there are more polls on Latinos than before. "I believe polls can help bring more attention to the Latino community. Any effort to engage them in the political process and mobilize them is welcomed." The intrigue: Several Texas voters in the English- and Spanish-speaking focus groups said they viewed the Democratic party as representing the middle and lower classes. But several of the same people said they were better off financially under Republican leadership. Methodology: The survey of Texas Hispanic citizens was conducted March 21-28, 2022. This poll was based on a sample consisting of 494 registered voters in Texas, with a Credibility Interval (CI) similar to a poll’s margin of error of +/- 4.3 percentage points. Three in-person focus groups were conducted of participants of Hispanic ethnicity in Dallas in April 2022: one of Hispanic registered voters who vote (conducted in English), a second of Hispanic non-registered citizens (conducted in English), and a third of Hispanic registered voters who vote (conducted in Spanish). Visit us for more information: http://www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com/index.html