Two years back, President Donald Trump made gains with Latinos that were decisive to his victory. Now, with conflict overseas and high costs, Democrats are eyeing key House races that have significant Latino populations that are essential for a House majority. Trump's net approval rating among Hispanic voters has suffered since he took office for his second term. A June 2026 Fox News poll found Trump underwater by 38 percentage points, with 31% of Latino voters approving of how he was handling his job as president and 69% disapproving. In March 2025, he was down by only 11 points with the group, with 44% approving and 55% disapproving. But strategists warn that Democrats need to give voters something to vote for, not just something to vote against. ABC News spoke to the campaigns of seven candidates running in Latino-heavy battlegrounds to hear how they are targeting…

"Both parties just devolve into these petty, irrelevant cultural battles that are not speaking to anybody's concerns. What you end up with is Latinos voting against whoever is in power and punishing them for the economic issues that aren't being addressed," Madrid added. JoAnna Mendoza, a Marine Corps veteran, is challenging Rep. Juan Ciscomani in Arizona's 6th District, which Trump won by less than a point in 2024. "Latinos have felt like we're not listened to, we feel forgotten, especially in our rural communities as well," Mendoza said. Manny Rutinel, the Democrat running against Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado's 8th District, said that being raised by a single Latina mother, working at McDonald's and selling plasma more than 100 times as a teenager to help support his family is a core part of his message.