Decoding the Hispanic Voter: Affluence, Status, and Ideology in the 2024 Election

By Gabriela Alcantara-Diaz – Founder, President of SEMILLA Multicultural, Inc.

In the wake of the recent election, the strong Latino wave supporting Trump caught many by surprise. As I noted in my last piece on decoding the Hispanic voter, an emerging trend is clear: working-class and middle-class Latinos are joining the ranks of an increasingly affluent, conservative Latino voter base, where ideological leanings are often anti-socialist and pro-business.

The data speaks volumes about the evolving dynamics of Hispanic America, underscoring that affluence, status, and ideology are critical factors in shaping Hispanic voter behavior. For instance, recent exit polls indicate that Trump won 45% of the Latino vote in 2024, a significant increase from the 32% he garnered in 2020. Notably, support from working-class Latino men reached 54%, compared to 44% for Harris, illustrating a clear ideological shift that’s unfolding across this demographic.

The impact is particularly pronounced among Latino male voters, with Pennsylvania emerging as a key battleground where Trump secured 47% of Latino male support. Populism comes to mind as we watch this alignment of aspirations for economic advancement with conservative values.

Segmenting the Hispanic vote further reveals that nativity and country of origin shape these preferences. Cuban Americans, followed closely by Venezuelan and Colombian Americans, are among Trump’s most loyal supporters—a powerful reflection of how deeply anti-socialist sentiments resonate with Latinos who’ve experienced authoritarian regimes firsthand. Ironically, the zip code in Hialeah, Florida, with the highest concentration of Cuban and Cuban-American residents (84.1%) also has the nation’s largest share of Affordable Care Act recipients, revealing a complex relationship between ideological and economic realities.

Economic motivations play a defining role in shaping this growing bloc of Latino Trump supporters. As Arturo Munoz, a 28-year-old truck driver from Phoenix, noted, “Hispanic and Latino men are very physically hardworking. The difference in pay, the hours, the cuts, providing for their families—I’ve seen it.”

For many, financial security and personal advancement are paramount, with college attainment rates reflecting disparities within the community: only one in five Latino men aged 25-29 holds a college degree, compared to 27% of Latinas. This disparity is significant as we consider the drivers behind Hispanic male support for policies that promise economic stability and blue-collar job growth.

Additionally, while older, foreign-born Hispanic voters may lean conservative due to familiarity with power-concentrating administrations in Latin America, younger, U.S.-born Latinos—especially men—are increasingly drawn to ideology as a rallying point, often distancing themselves from populist leaders of their grandparents’ generation. In battleground states, support among Latinos for Harris was highest in Pennsylvania, where she won the Latino vote by a decisive 77% to 26%. She also held the Latino vote in key states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

As more U.S.-born Latino males enter middle-class status, this transition is shaping both economic opportunities and future outlooks. These young, aspiring Latino families are making choices driven by personal financial growth and stability.

Marketers and political strategists must move beyond one-size-fits-all assumptions about Hispanic America. The reality is that Hispanic identity is both economically and ideologically diverse, and factors like affluence, status, and ideology will only grow in their influence on Hispanic America’s future.

Sources: Shifting loyalties of these voters helped power Donald Trump to election win, USA Today; Results suggest Trump made more gains with Latinos, AXIOS; Latino Support for Harris Highest in Pennsylvania among Battleground States, UNIDOSUS