President Donald Trump’s standing with Hispanic and Latino voters ticked up in the latest national Emerson College survey, though he remains underwater with the group.
In the new poll, Trump’s net approval among Hispanic and Latino voters measured -2.1 points, a sharp improvement from Emerson’s December 2025 reading of -29.7 points.
Why It Matters
Hispanic and Latino voters emerged as a key swing bloc in the 2024 presidential election. While the group has long leaned Democratic, it was far more divided last cycle, backing former Vice President Kamala Harris by 5 points, according to CNN exit polling.
That shift helped Trump flip battlegrounds such as Arizona and Nevada, while also boosting Republican margins in states like Florida and Texas. Whether Democrats can reclaim Hispanic and Latino voters who moved right is set to be a central question as the party looks toward the 2026 midterm elections.
What To Know
The Emerson College poll released Friday found 43.3% of Hispanic or Latino voters approve of Trump’s job performance, compared with 45.4% who disapprove, roughly one year into his second term.
That compares with Emerson’s December survey, when 57.9% of Hispanic and Latino voters disapproved and 28.2% approved.
The latest poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters from January 17–19, 2026. The earlier poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters from December 14–15, 2025. Both reported a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.
Among Americans overall, the January poll found 51% disapprove of Trump’s job performance and 43% approve, for a net approval rating of -8 points.
What Other Polls Show
Other recent surveys have shown weaker numbers for Trump among Hispanic and Latino voters, highlighting how crosstabs can swing—and how different polls have produced varying snapshots over the past year.
A recent YouGov/The Economist poll put Trump’s net approval among Hispanic voters at -15 points, with 55% disapproving and 40% approving. In that same poll, his overall net approval stood at -20, with 57% disapproving and 37% approving. It surveyed 1,722 American adults from January 16–19, 2026.
A New York Times/Siena College poll found 59% of Hispanic voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance and 39% approve. Overall, it reported 40% approval and 57% disapproval among Americans. It surveyed 1,625 registered voters from January 12–17, 2026.
The Longer-Term Shift
Trump came close to winning Latino voters in 2024, according to CNN exit polling: Harris led 51% to 46%.
That’s a significant change from 2020, when Latino voters backed former President Joe Biden 65% to 32%, and from 2016, when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won Latino voters 66% to 28%.
What People Are Saying
Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, wrote in the polling memo: “Venezuela is the Trump administration’s top issue in the survey among Hispanic voters, who approve of the administration’s actions 44% to 37%, while Black voters disapprove 72% to 18%. White voters are split: 43% approve and 42% disapprove.”
Trump criticized polls in a post to Truth Social after the Times survey released on Thursday, writing: “Fake and Fraudulent Polling should be, virtually, a criminal offense. As an example, all of the Anti Trump Media that covered me during the 2020 Election showed Polls that were knowingly wrong.”
What Happens Next
Trump’s approval rating will remain under close scrutiny heading into the midterms, where Democrats are aiming to retake control of the House and the Senate. How Hispanic and Latino voters break in battleground contests could prove decisive.
