Economy Surpasses Immigration as Top Concern for Latino Voters Ahead 2026 Midterms

A series of recent polls by UnidosUS reveal that Latino voters in the U.S., including in California, prioritize economic issues such as cost of living, jobs, housing, and health care over immigration reform, which ranks fifth. The data shows widespread concern about inflation and economic pressures, with 65% of Latino voters feeling that President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are not doing enough to improve economic conditions, and 64% disapproving of Trump's job performance. Additionally, 81% of Latino voters express dissatisfaction with Congress's role in checks and balances, and a majority blame Republicans for the recent government shutdown. Despite economic concerns and disapproval of Trump, most Latino voters intend to stick with their 2024 presidential choices, although some Trump supporters express hesitation about voting for him again. Experts like Gary Segura from UCLA emphasize that both major parties need to better engage and address the needs of the Latino electorate, which is a significant and growing voting bloc. Overall, these findings suggest economic issues are central to Latino voters' political attitudes heading into the 2026 midterms, overshadowing immigration as the top concern.