PHOENIX — Leading national Latino organizations are looking at Arizona’s Hispanic population as a consequential community in key races, both local and federal.
The Vamos a Votar coalition, run by groups LULAC, UnidosUS Action Fund, Mi Familia Vota and Latino Victory, announced a $22.1 million investment into voter registration, field organizing and other outreach measures across 10 key states, including Arizona.
Arizona UnidosUS Director Dr. Enrique Davis-Mazlum said multiple close races hinge on a select amount of votes which could be filled by Latino participants.
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"Arizona has a lot of weight on what's going to happen at a national level, but also at a state level, we have over I believe it's 22 races that were won with less than 10 votes, so every Latino participating is going to be a decisive vote,” Davis-Mazlum said. "You also have congressional districts like Congressional District 1, with over 50,000 Latinos that did not vote when it was a congressional district that was won by less than 5,000 votes [in 2024].”
Juan Luna, with Mi Familia Vota, is knocking doors in Maricopa County every day until Election Day. Luna said he’s seen a shift in party preference from 2024 to now in certain races as cost of living takes the top issue he’s hearing door to door.
“In 2024, a lot of people, especially the Hispanics, were voting red, we're voting for Donald Trump, and now we're seeing that they're backing away,” Luna said. "I think a lot of people are more motivated to go vote because of all the stuff that's been happening these last two years with the cost, everything going up and immigration raids.”
Recent polling data supports what Luna is hearing on the ground.
An ASU poll taken in late August showed Hispanic voters backing Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs over Republican Andy Biggs by 57 to 20.
Another poll by Unidos shows that about 70% of Hispanic voters rank affordability as their top priority.
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