By — Valerie Gonzalez, Associated Press Valerie Gonzalez, Associated Press By — Mike Catalini, Associated Press Mike Catalini, Associated Press By — Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/latino-voters-propel-democrats-to-big-wins-with-leftward-swing Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Latino voters propel Democrats to big wins with leftward swing Politics Nov 6, 2026 2:07 PM EST AN JUAN, Texas (AP) — Latino voters moved sharply to the left in the midterm elections, propelling Democrats to an improbable electoral sweep in Texas and in battleground House races from coast to coast. It's a remarkable pivot for a demographic that had shifted toward President Donald Trump just two years ago. "We showed our power and flexed our muscle during this election," said Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez, who won his battleground district in New Mexico by around 17 percentage points after winning by less than 1 percentage point in 2022. Democrats capitalized on voters' angst over rising prices and government corruption, riding a wave of frustration to retake control of the…
Latino voters propel Democrats to big wins with leftward swing
In short
The AP Voter Poll showed Republican House support among Hispanic voters fell to about one-third, dropping from the roughly four in ten who backed Donald Trump two years prior. This decisive shift fueled major Democratic gains, including a clean sweep of every statewide office on the ballot in Texas. The momentum also stretched into Kansas, where a 27% surge in turnout helped elect the state's first Democratic U.S. senator in nearly a century. Furthermore, Democrats captured every House district along the entire U.S.-Mexico border for the first time since 2008.
Key points
- Sharply declining Latino support for Republicans reversed Donald Trump's 2024 gains and r…: Sharply declining Latino support for Republicans reversed Donald Trump's 2024 gains and restored Democratic control in both the House and Senate.
- Every single county in Texas shifted toward the Democratic Party compared to two years pr…: Every single county in Texas shifted toward the Democratic Party compared to two years prior, led by the strongest movements in majority-Hispanic areas.
- Three majority-Hispanic counties flipped in Kansas to elect Adam Hamilton as the state's…: Three majority-Hispanic counties flipped in Kansas to elect Adam Hamilton as the state's first Democratic U.S. senator in nearly a century.