Bay Area Latino Trump supporters say economy, conservative values their main focus
SAN FRANCISCO — Latino supporters of President Donald Trump in the Bay Area said they are drawn to him because of their focus on the economy and conservative values.
Richard Maher, a member of the San Francisco Young Republicans, proudly holds up a cherished piece of memorabilia: the tickets from when he attended President Trump's inauguration in 2017.
"It was a really, really neat event," Maher recalled. "So, I got the tickets here. Jan. 20, 2017. I went through some metal detectors. It was all pretty easy, so I was really, really happy."
Maher is a Mexican American living in the North Bay, where several Trump 2024 flags wave. He said he takes pride in being one of over 350,000 members of the Latinos for Trump movement in California.
For him and many other supporters, the economy is the top priority in the upcoming election.
"I heard one expression that Trump kind of poured jet fuel on the economy," Maher said, reflecting on his enthusiasm for the former president's economic policies.
According to a 2024 Pew Research Center report, 85% of Latino voters say the economy is very important to their vote in this year's presidential election. Among Trump's Latino supporters, like Maher, that number jumps to 93%, making it the most-cited issue.
But the economy is not the only concern driving support for Trump among Latinos. Jazmina Saavedra, an esthetician, and Linda Martínez-Hanna, a caregiver, both express that their conservative family values play a significant role in their political alignment.
"As Hispanics, we came from very conservative families," said Saavedra. "We're not the kind of families to support abortion. Oh, you know, 'Mija, have an abortion,' or showing our kids about sexual education. Homosexual education that's happening right now at schools."
Martínez-Hanna echoed that sentiment, emphasizing how the values of faith and family shape her voting decisions.
"They have these values, but they cannot let go of the Democrat party," she said. "To me, how can you vote for a party that is against everything we stand for, which is God, family, and country."
Saavedra, who fled Nicaragua's communist government more than 35 years ago, feels strongly about political stability in the U.S. and said she worries about the direction of the country.
"We came to the USA for another reason," she explained. "Not to live what we're living right now, not to live the repression, not to have a high government trying to take everything — your property, even what you think, what you talk."
Their political views haven't come without a cost. Both Saavedra and Martínez-Hanna have lost clients due to their support for Trump. However, they remain steadfast in their beliefs. For Richard Maher, he said the driving force is the promise of the American Dream.
"Latinos care about public safety, their kids' education, cost of living, and economic concerns," Maher explained. "If Republicans can focus on those issues, they have a shot at making inroads."
As the 2024 election approaches, Maher, Saavedra, and Martínez-Hanna are determined to ensure their voices are heard at the ballot box.