Trump and Harris compete for the Latino vote in very different ways

TUCSON, Ariz. — Vice President Kamala Harris’ West Coast swing, aimed at ginning up support among Latino voters, is a sign of the larger emphasis Harris and former President Donald Trump have placed on pursuing the nation’s second largest racial or ethnic group. But they’re chasing those votes in very different ways.

Trump, whose campaign is barely advertising in Hispanic media, according to AdImpact, is wrapping his appeal to Latino voters in a broader message of prosperity and nostalgia for the pre-pandemic economy under his presidency, while also leaning on high-profile endorsers. Harris’ campaign is pouring more money and effort into advertising, targeted messaging and on-the-ground organizing.

Polling has found that most Latinos prefer Harris over Trump, an advantage Harris’ campaign and voters alike have linked in part to her own upbringing as a daughter of immigrants.

“Harris definitely understands Latino voters a lot more just because she is a person of color and is able to understand the community a lot better,” Mya Brady, a Pittsburgh resident of Guatemalan heritage, told NBC News.

But while Harris has the edge, the data suggests Latino support for Democrats is far from fixed: The new NBC News/Telemundo/CNBC poll shows Harris with a 54%-40% advantage among Latinos, her party’s lowest mark in four presidential election cycles. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden all cleared 60% support.

That drop could have big implications, according to Clarissa Martinez De Castro, vice president of the Latino Vote Initiative at UnidosUS, which conducts one of the largest analyses of Latino voting habits in the country. (UnidoUS’ political arm endorsed Harris earlier this year.)

“Republicans don’t need to win a majority