Latino stronghold shifts: Trump's surprise win in Starr County
Located in Texas, on the border with Mexico, Starr County has voted for a Republican presidential candidate for the first time in over 100 years, according to the American publication "Newsweek". The magazine highlights this because it is regarded as the most Latino county in the USA.
Voting results in the United States are still coming in, but it is widely accepted that Donald Trump has, to put it mildly, decisively triumphed over Kamala Harris. It appears that the Democrat experienced losses in the most unexpected places.
Starr County, situated in Texas on the border with Mexico, is considered one of these surprising locations. This is unexpected given that approximately 97% of the population is Latino, according to data cited by "Newsweek" from TexasCounties.net for the year 2020.
The magazine reports that, after counting 99% of the votes, Trump's results stand at 57.7%, while Harris's are at 41.8%. In 2020, (Joe) Biden won the county with 52% of the votes, and in 2016, (Hillary) Clinton won with 79% of the votes. Furthermore, the county has chosen a Republican candidate for the first time since 1892.
Why did the offended Latinos vote for Trump?
Let's recall that one of Donald Trump's campaign promises was to stop illegal immigration, and he focused, among other things, on Latinos crossing the US-Mexico border. This is why the voters' choice in Starr County is so surprising to commentators.
Another critical topic (as in most elections in democratic countries over the past two years) was the rise in inflation following Russia's military actions in Ukraine.
Why did Latinos vote for Trump despite his anti-immigration rhetoric? Ana Valdez, CEO of the think tank Latino Donor Collaborative, told "Newsweek" that this group is equally disappointed with both Democrats and Republicans. Still, the former president managed to resonate with its most conservative segment.
