Opinion

The Hispanic vote is up for grabs in 2026. Candidates who ignore it will lose

In recent elections, candidates who have made the effort to engage Hispanic voters directly have had an advantage with this electorate

By Daniel Alegre Fox News

Published September 11, 2026 5:00am EDT

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Hispanic voters are sending both parties a message that should be impossible to ignore: stop assuming you already know where we stand.

A record 36.2 million Hispanic Americans were eligible to vote in 2024. Heading into 2026, polling in competitive congressional districts suggests many are still persuadable, with more than half either undecided or open to changing their vote.

For years, political analysts have tried to squeeze Hispanic voters into a simple narrative. After one election, we're told Latinos are firmly in the Democratic camp. After the next, we're told Republicans have permanently reshaped the electorate.

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The reality is much less tidy.

Hispanic Americans are not moving in lockstep in either direction. They weigh candidates, priorities and circumstances, then make their own decisions. That’s what makes this electorate so consequential, and........

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