In 2020, Republicans had a net gain of 14 seats in the House, and every seat they flipped from Democrats was captured by a woman, a veteran or a candidate of color. In 2022, the party put forth a historic slate of nearly 70 Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Native American candidates.
Still, Republican Latinos in Congress remain outnumbered: Of the 50 Hispanic members of the House, 36 are Democrats and 14 are Republicans.
“As the diversity of representation in Congress grows, Democrats have always and continue to lead the way by connecting with voters and addressing the issues that matter most to them,” said Viet Shelton, press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “The anti-immigrant rhetoric promoted by House Republicans is just another extension of their fundamental vulnerability: a devotion to MAGA extremism over kitchen table issues. They are out of touch and unwilling to address issues working families care about.”
Republicans see room for growth and have been focused on building Latino support. Polls suggest the strategy is starting to bear fruit: Latino voters continue to support Democrats, but by a smaller margin than they did in 2018, according to a review of the 2022 midterm elections by the Pew Research Center. In November, 60 percent of Hispanic voters cast ballots for Democrats while 39 percent supported Republicans. In 2018, 72 percent favored Democrats and 25 percent backed Republicans.
Moreover, Biden’s approval rating among Latino voters has been stuck below 50 percent for most of the summer.