Democrats Turn to Content Creators to Rebuild Latino Support

Democrats are working to regain trust among Latino voters by engaging with content creators. This strategy follows their loss in the 2024 elections, where diminished support from Latino voters contributed to the outcome. Former Vice President Kamala Harris secured the Latino vote by a slim margin of three points, as per the Pew Research Center. In contrast, President Joe Biden had claimed a broader lead of 25 points among Latino voters in 2020.

This year, Latino-dense swing districts could significantly influence the balance of power in the House. To regain voter allegiance, Democrats are executing new strategies. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus’s campaign arm, BOLD PAC, initiated a program in February to connect social media influencers directly with voters.

We rely on local community figures with large followings to share information authentically, mentioned Rep. Linda Sánchez, D-Calif., chair of BOLD PAC. One example is Arizona’s Latina content creator Alexa Flores, who transitioned from beauty and fashion topics to political content following the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Her aim is to demonstrate the impact Latino voters can have when they participate in elections.

Flores, boasting nearly 500,000 followers, engages in get-out-the-vote activities with BOLD PAC nationwide. Her upcoming engagements include a wine tasting event in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez faces a tight contest against Republican Greg Cunningham. Additionally, Flores will attend a Día de los Muertos event in Tucson, Arizona, supporting Marine veteran JoAnna Mendoza in her effort to unseat GOP incumbent Juan Ciscomani.

BOLD PAC provides a $1,500 stipend covering flights, hotels, and travel costs for each event, rather than paying for social media posts. Sánchez explains that content creators can fill a crucial gap for the party, as 30 percent of Latinos acquire news from social media influencers, based on Pew Research Center data.

Democratic strategist Stephanie Valencia describes the journey to reclaim long-term Latino voter support as challenging. With Equis Research co-founder Valencia estimating that about a third of Latinos are independents, over 40 percent feel both parties overlook them. She asserts that addressing the trust deficit with Latino voters will not be resolved in a single election cycle.

In 2024, Latinos leaned toward conservative views in response to perceived liberal immigration stances and foreign policy priorities over domestic issues under President Biden. Consequently, President Trump expanded his party’s Latino voter share by double digits to 48 percent, as reported by Pew Research Center.

This shift highlights the impact such swings can have on election results. BOLD PAC leaders recognize a renewed opportunity, observing growing dissatisfaction among Latinos toward President Trump’s policies. However, Valencia emphasizes that some Democratic campaigns misjudge the fluidity of the Latino electorate, frequently investing too little and too late in their outreach efforts.

Solangie Hernandez Hollowell, a Texas influencer allied with BOLD PAC, concurs with this perspective. Her content often focuses on topics like taxes and immigration, resonating with Democrats’ current campaign issues. By avoiding specific candidate endorsements, she helps Latinos make meaningful connections with policymakers.

Hollowell points out that Latinos feel politicians engage with them only right before elections, often leading to a sense of being unheard. Her objective is to interpret political events in a comprehensible manner for her community.

Similarly, Arizona influencer Flores aspires to raise awareness about Latinos’ growing impact on pivotal aspects of American life, noting, The wave of Latinos growing in this country is becoming a bigger voice for a lot of things.