Poll Shows Biden at 19 Percent Approval among Hispanics
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The vast majority of Hispanics are unhappy with President Biden’s overall job performance, and their dissatisfaction extends to a suite of issues including the economy, foreign policy, gun violence, and the handling of Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Only 19 percent of Hispanics approve of Biden’s conduct as president, while 70 percent disapprove, according to a new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday. Of Hispanics who disapprove, 49 percent feel strongly about it while 20 percent are somewhat discontented.
As skyrocketing inflation continues to strangle household budgets, causing many families to struggle to afford basic consumer goods such as gas and food, the economy is weighing most heavily on voters’ minds, and especially for Hispanics, the poll shows.
The survey’s racial breakdown on inflation indicated that 41 percent of Hispanics believe it is the most urgent issue facing the country in comparison with 36 percent of whites and 16 percent of blacks. Inflation ranked as the most serious problem among all respondents, at 34 percent.
The poll results come as the Democratic Party scrambles to retain its Latino and Hispanic voters, formerly a reliably blue bloc that has shown signs of shifting loyalties toward the GOP.
Increasingly, Hispanics are coming to believe that the Republican Party better represents their interests and more traditional religious views. Former president Trump made impressive inroads with Hispanics during his tenure, increasing his support among the group by about eight points from 2016 to 2020. The effect was most pronounced in Florida and Texas, surprising Democratic strategists who believed Trump’s restrictionist immigration policies and rhetoric would alienate him from Hispanics.
On the other hand, Biden’s favorability among Hispanics has consistently declined, plummeting from 40 percent in October 2021 to now 19 percent in July 2022.
First Lady Jill Biden’s recent embarrassing gaffe about the group has further cemented the perception of a disconnect between the Democratic Party and the Hispanic people it has benefited from electorally.
Last week, Jill’s office issued an apology after uproar over her public insinuation that “breakfast tacos” exemplify the diversity of the Hispanic community.
“Raul helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community — as distinct as the [bodegas] of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio — is your strength,” she said at the 2022 UnidosUS Annual Conference in San Antonio.
Multiple Hispanic members of Congress responded to National Review’s request for comment on the matter, expressing disgust with Biden’s comments.
“For far too long, Democrats have treated us as an interest group, just another voting bloc for them to use to win elections. To them, Hispanics are nothing but a Hispanic Heritage Month prop and a hashtag social media campaign. When the First Lady compares us to tacos, it really shows their true colors and how they see us,” Cuban-born Republican Florida Representative Carlos Gimenez said.
