A new NBC News/Telemundo poll released this week shows Latino registered voters swinging hard back toward Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with 69% saying they disapprove of President Donald Trump's job performance and just 27% approving.
The survey of 800 Latino registered voters, conducted September 21-28, found Democrats leading Republicans 59% to 35% on congressional preference — a 24-point gap that represents a significant reversal from the 12-point Democratic edge heading into the 2024 elections, when Trump made notable inroads with Hispanic voters.
The poll's findings on specific policy areas paint a grim picture for Republicans. Roughly 66% of respondents said Trump's deportation policies have gone too far, while 75% said he has mishandled the economy and cost of living.
Republicans Still Ahead of Where They Were a Decade Ago
Despite the Democratic lead, the GOP maintains substantial improvement with Latino voters compared to previous cycles. In 2016, Latino support for a Republican Congress stood at just 21%. That figure rose to 26% in 2018, and now sits at 35% in the new survey.
NBC News and Telemundo conducted the poll via phone interviews and online surveys via text message. The poll carries a margin of error of 3.5%.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., addressed the findings during an appearance on Fox News' "America Reports," acknowledging that immigration enforcement messaging may be costing the party support among Hispanic voters.
According to CNN, which also covered the poll, the Latino electorate played a critical role in Trump's 2024 victory, and the new sentiment dip is particularly pronounced on economic issues. Newsweek reported separately that Latino men who backed Trump in 2024 have turned away in the new survey.
Trump Pushes Back at Ohio Rally
Speaking at a political rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday night, Trump dismissed the unfavorable polling.
"These fake polls, they don't account for one thing. They don't account for the fact that Trump is out campaigning," Trump told the crowd. "They never thought this was good. They never thought this was going to happen."
"With you at my side, we have always prevailed and prevailed by a lot and got record-setting votes and record-setting victory," Trump said. "We've won every battle. We've defeated every hope. We've overcome."
Trump's argument — that polls systematically undercount his support and fail to capture the effect of his active campaigning — echoes his successful 2024 strategy of holding high-visibility rallies in swing states and treating survey data with skepticism.
The Economic Message Problem
The most troubling number for Republicans may be the 75% who say Trump has mishandled the economy and cost of living. Economic concerns have historically been a strength for the GOP, and inflation remained a top voter concern throughout the 2024 cycle.
If Latino voters — a rapidly growing and increasingly pivotal demographic in states like Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania — are souring on the Republican economic message, down-ballot candidates could face headwinds in competitive races this November.
The poll breakdown by gender, generation and other factors shows the Latino vote is not monolithic, with distinct segments mirroring broader national political divides. But the overall trajectory is clear: after Republicans made gains in 2024, the trend has reversed heading into 2026.
Our Take
Here's the thing, Patriots: two years ago, Trump made history by peeling away Latino voters from the Democrat plantation. He won them over with a simple message — America First means putting American workers, American families, and American sovereignty ahead of globalist interests and open-border chaos.
Nobody said it would be easy. The corporate media and the Democrat machine have spent decades telling Hispanic Americans that Republicans hate them, that enforcement equals racism, that border security equals cruelty. That's a big lie built over generations, and it doesn't fall in one election cycle.
But what this poll really tells us is that the America First message is still winning the long game. Republicans are at 35% with Latino voters — up from 21% in 2016. That's not a collapse. That's a foundation. The question is whether the GOP can hold it when the other side is screaming about deportations and promising free stuff.
The 75% who say Trump mishandled the economy? That's where the real fight is. Gas prices, grocery bills, rent — if those numbers improve and families feel relief in their wallets, this poll will look very different in six months. If they don't, Republicans need to explain why the deportation policies they support are about protecting lawful immigrants and American workers, not punishing anyone.
Rep. Gimenez admitted what we all know: messaging matters. The GOP needs to get out there in Hispanic communities — not with consultants and focus groups, but with authentic voices explaining that border security is about law and order, that American sovereignty benefits everyone who came here legally, that economic nationalism means jobs for American workers of every background.
The corporate media will use this poll to write the GOP's obituary in the Latino community. Don't believe it. Polls are snapshots, not verdicts. Trump is fighting, and he's taking the case directly to the people. The midterms aren't won or lost in September polls — they're won in November by the side that wants it more and shows up to fight.
