Latinos, Key to this Election, Whoever Wins the Presidency

I published this article under on another account on November 6, 2020:

Elections results by November 5th, 2020

A lot of patience needed right now because the race is so tight, but one thing is clear: Latinos will determine who wins the presidency.

Some observations on this week’s events:

• As in past elections, Latinos came out in record numbers and, yet again, delivered California, New Mexico, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon; these states are indispensable for Democrats to be competitive today. Latinos are the majority or majority-minority in these states.
• Due to a significant increase in Latino organizing and votes, Arizona and Nevada became the contested, nail-biting states they are right now. These states would have remained unconditionally red if not for Hispanic organizing.
• Another new trend is the influx of Latino voters in other key states (8–11% of Latinos in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia) as the decisive edge that Biden needs to tip the race in his favor.
• Finally, if we believe the news media narrative, Cubans in Florida and conservative Mexican-American men in Texas also decided the election outcome in those states, mostly because of Trump’s regional efforts.

For the first time in American history, Hispanic Americans are the largest non-white block of voters nationwide, and their striking impact is the new normal. Both parties will have the opportunity in the next months and years to engage Latinos who, although diverse and heterogeneous, are united by their core traditions, love of family, work ethic, loyalty, and optimism. Let’s not forget entrepreneurship: one out of every four Latino family owns a business, making Latinos a powerful driver of economic growth.

There will be much analysis of this election in the coming days. The smart pundits will catch the huge opportunity that is to connect with the robust Latino community that is only beginning to exercise their voice. Political leaders will start to develop the relationship that will deliver for them in the years and decades to come by acknowledging the central role of Latinos in the election today.