The results are in for the presidential election: Donald Trump will be the 47th U.S. President.
In Connecticut, there are mixed reactions about his victory.
“I voted for Kamala, and I was hoping that the Latino population was going to follow suit,” Amilcar Hernandez (D-Hartford City Council) said.
“I think we needed a change,” Maria Rosal, of Manchester, said.
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NBC News reports President-elect Trump gained a 25% increase among Latino voters, compared to four years ago.
Trump won the support of 45% of Latino voters across the country compared to 53% for Kamala Harris. In 2020, Trump won only 32% of the Latino vote compared to President Joe Biden with 65%.
“In some ways, what we saw locally was echoed nationally,” UConn’s Puerto Rican Studies Initiative Director Venator-Santiago said.
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A survey conducted by UConn’s Puerto Rican Studies Initiative in October showed 45% of Puerto Rican and Latino men in Connecticut favored Trump in office.
“They saw caudillo, a strong man, that was going to lead them, but also decisive positions and they were feeling like democrats had avoided questions on immigration and other issues that are pertinent to Latinos,” Venator-Santiago said.
Hernandez believes Trump’s victory signifies a step back in history.
“One, we are going back because he was already a president and we already know what he has done and what he did as a president, but also we are going back because many of our freedoms are going to be in danger,” Hernandez said.
Meanwhile, Rosal wants to keep her vote private, but strongly believes Trump will help boost the economy.
“We have seen our bank accounts, savings, disappear for many people in America,” Rosal said.
Nationally, Latinos accounted for 12% of the voting population.
