With the polls closing in roughly 24 hours NBC News took it upon themselves, during Monday’s NBC Nightly News, to tout how Republicans have been losing the support of Latino voters over the years. Reporter Gabe Gutierrez seemed to mock GOP nominee Donald Trump for claiming he would do well with the Latino community. “Among Latinos, Hillary Clinton leads him by 45 percentage points,” he reported, “Since winning the White House in 2004, the GOP has lost more Hispanic support each election cycle.”
The NBC report centered on the battleground state of Florida and how the Latino vote can influence a Hillary Clinton victory. “In the toughest of battlegrounds, the war is changing,” Gutierrez declared as he spotlighted the work of Que Vote Mi Gente (“Vote my People”), an organization trying to mobilize Latinos.
“The Latino community know that their futures, their families, education, health care, jobs, all of that is on the line here in 2016,” Christina Hernandez, of Que Vote Mi Gente, told Gutierrez. “For months, the group in central Florida, scrambling to energize an underrepresented demographic. Long considered a sleeping giant,” the NBC reporter explained.
“In Florida, Hispanics have so far cast about 15 percent of the more than six million early and absentee ballots,” he continued, while seemingly painting a negative picture for Republicans, “Turn-out of Latinos is surging in Arizona, Nevada, and also parts of Texas, where immigration is a top concern.” Republican pollster Whit Ayres vented to Gutierrez exclaiming, “Sometimes I think Donald Trump looked at that GOP autopsy after 2012 and decided to do the exact opposite.”
Gutierrez did manage to find one Latino voter that disliked both candidates, but was quick to point out that they voted for Clinton anyway. Then noted, “On the road to the White House, what was once a sleeping giant is stirring.”
Transcript below:
NBC
Nightly News
November 7, 2016
7:09:42 PM Eastern [2 Minutes]LESTER HOLT: One of the biggest factors in deciding the election could be the influence of the Latino vote. Early voting suggests it's an all-time high in the all-important battleground state of Florida. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez is in central Florida and has a closer look for us.
[Cuts to video]
CHRISTINA HERNANDEZ: Let's just talk to these folks who are out and let's see.
GABE GUTIERREZ: In the toughest of battlegrounds, the war is changing.
HERNANDEZ: The Latino community know that their futures, their families, education, health care, jobs, all of that is on the line here in 2016.
GUTIERREZ: Christine Hernandez runs a group called “Que Vote Mi Gente.” Spanish for “vote my people.” For months, the group in central Florida, scrambling to energize an underrepresented demographic. Long considered a sleeping giant.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 1: The Latino vote in the state of Florida has exploded!
GUTIERREZ: In Florida, Hispanics have so far cast about 15 percent of the more than six million early and absentee ballots, boosted by Puerto Ricans fleeing the island's debt crisis. Turn-out of Latinos is surging in Arizona, Nevada, and also parts of Texas, where immigration is a top concern.
DAVID VELAZQUEZ: Latinos are much like all Americans. They vote on different issues and different local issues.
GUTIERREZ: Despite his controversial comments about Mexicans, Donald Trump insists he's gaining ground.
DONALD TRUMP: We're going to do great with the Hispanics.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 2: Latinos for Hillary!
GUTIERREZ: But among Latinos, Hillary Clinton leads him by 45 percentage points. Since winning the White House in 2004, the GOP has lost more Hispanic support each election cycle.
WHIT AYRES: Sometimes I think Donald Trump looked at that GOP autopsy after 2012 and decided to do the exact opposite.
GUTIERREZ: You don't like either candidate?
ELAGRO TOERREZ: Really? No.
GUTIERREZ: Elagro Torrez, a Puerto Rican voter, disgusted by Trump but skeptical of Clinton. Still she voted early for the Democrat. On the road to the White House, what was once a sleeping giant is stirring. Gabe Gutierrez, NBC News Kissimmee, Florida.
