UPDATED: The 29%: Who Are They?

Latino Decisions has come up with a different percentage of Latinos who voted for Trump based on better methodologies–closer to 18%. Let’s face it, the 40% for Bush back in the 2000s was pretty far-fetched and Latino pollsters also criticized that poll. Go with 18, go with 29 or split the difference, the descriptor below of Trump supporters is still right on.

I spent “the day after” watching pundits and pollsters tell me that 29% of Latinos voted for Trump. A friend of mine said it was our fault that Trump won based on the 29%. Blanket statements like that are bothersome and dangerous, and much like they’ll explain away the fact that 70% of the electorate is white and 60% of white voters voted Trump, the 29% can be explained, too.

Trump split the Latino vote in Florida between Cuban and non-Cubans. Although many didn’t like the anti-immigrant rhetoric, the Cubans’ issue is still Cuba. President Obama began normalization of relations with Cuba and the Cubans in Florida freaked. Trump capitalized on that late in the race, while Clinton only spoke anti-Commie stuff during the Primary in attempt to link socialist Bernie Sanders to the Castro brothers. Non-Cubans still voted 75% of the time for Clinton, according to exit polls.

Are there other reasons in other states? Sure. I guess some put religion over everything, although they forget some of the good parts of their religions (helping the poor) to hate on gays, women, immigrants and others. Yeah, it happens in the Latino community, too. We’re coming around, though. After 524 years of subjugation from a whole lot of non-native folks, things don’t change in a day, right?

And let’s face it, Latinos have never been 100% Democrat. We have vendidos (sell outs) in our midst. Remember the 40% who supported Bush? Romney got 27% in 2012. Trump offered the lowest common denominator and every demographic has people who get off on that kind of stuff. Just some more than others (I’m looking at you, 60% of Gringos!!). Even so, he only bested Romney by a couple of points. Some of the best vendidos (Ana Navarro, Lionel Sosa) voted for Clinton, but didn’t do much to convince their fellow vendidos, apparently.

In a year in which much work was put into replacing (by voter registration efforts) complacent Latino voters with new, energized voters, I think we did pretty good. I think, for now, 25 to 30 percent of Latinos are going to be Republicans. And you better be able to energize the other 70 to 75% with action and not just platitudes. But, that’s a whole other side of this conversation which Democrats always avoid.

*Vendido – A Sell-Out. Usually, someone who got a raise in pay and bought the cheapest house in the suburb or the biggest house in the ‘hood. Thinks they’re Republican, now, so, rails against immigrants, people on food stamps, the poor, the uninsured, etc.  Example:  Paul Rodriguez – Vendido. George Lopez – NOT Vendido.