Latinos could tip the scales in Nevada's senatorial and gubernatorial races and on specific issues, according to a poll released last week by Univision.
The hotly contested U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto and her Republican opponent Adam Laxalt is a statistical dead heat among Nevada registered voters in many polls.
The Univision poll released Oct. 25 said among Latino registered voters Cortez Masto’s lead is at 60%, compared with Laxalt’s 27%.
In the equally close race for governor, Latinos may also be the deciding factor.
According to the Univision poll, Governor Steve Sisolak leads Republican candidate Sheriff Joe Lombardo by a slim two-point margin (43% to 41%).
Among Latino voters, Sisolak leads with a wide 34-point margin (60% to 26%).
Sergio Garcia Rios, one of the pollsters said more Latinos are registering as Republicans and focus on the economy.
"What it shows is Latino sophistication," he said. "They’re looking at the issues rather than blindly following one party. They’re assessing which party might bring them the answers."
The top issues for Latino and non-Latino voters are similar: inflation, followed by the cost of health care, jobs and abortion.
Dr. Angela O’Campo, one of the pollsters, said some issues, like immigration, may be “singular” for the general population, but for Latinos are multifaceted.
"Sixy-nine percent of Latino voters report that the immigration system is fully broken," she said. "And they believe as a country that we need to work on border security but also a reform for undocumented immigrants who have been in the Us for a number of years, who can pass a background check to earn a pathway to citizenship."
Other multifaceted issues for Latino voters include LGBTQ programs in schools and gun safety.
