Rising costs push Florida Hispanic voters away from Trump, poll finds

Hispanic voters in Florida are increasingly souring on President Donald Trump ahead of the midterms, with many saying the economy and rising cost of living have failed to improve under his leadership, according to a new bipartisan poll released Wednesday.

While Trump’s approval among Florida Latino voters remains higher than his national numbers, 51% of Florida respondents disapprove of his job performance. Meanwhile, one in five Hispanic voters in Florida who backed him in 2024 say they would not vote for him again.

The survey, administered from April 27 through May 14 by BSP Research and Shaw & Company for UnidosUS, polled 3,000 registered Latino voters nationwide, including 500 in Florida and 300 in battleground congressional districts across the state. The margin of error for the Florida results is 4.4%.

Economy dominates concerns

Economic anxiety is driving much of the erosion in support in Florida.

The poll finds 81% of Hispanic voters in the state are either just meeting expenses, having trouble meeting expenses or have only a little left over after covering essentials such as food, gas, housing and health care, as costs continue to rise while wages remain flat.

“Florida’s affordability crisis is showing up in every part of daily life,” said UnidosUS Florida state director Jared Nordlund in a statement. “Families are naming the same pressures clearly: cost of living, wages, health care and housing.”

The survey found cost of living to be a priority for 57% of respondents – particularly basic expenses such as food and gas – followed by 41% who want action on wages and the economy, including higher pay and job creation. Another 38% cite rising health care costs as a key issue, including premiums and access to medication.

READ MORE: Cuban Americans split from Trump on deportations, treatment of Cuban migrants, poll shows

Immigration remains a key issue

The poll also finds strong support among Hispanic voters for immigration reform.

About 86% support legalization for long-residing undocumented immigrants, including 74% who support it even if described as “amnesty.” Another 61% oppose additional funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement without guardrails.

The survey finds 40% say they or people in their communities fear immigration authorities may harass or arrest them, even if they are U.S. citizens or legal residents. It also finds 32% report employers have lost workers due to immigration enforcement concerns.

The UnidosUS poll comes after a New York Times analysis published Friday, showing Florida leading the nation in Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests. ICE’s Miami field office, which covers Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, recorded 41,310 arrests since Trump returned to office last January — the highest total of any field office.

Republicans still hold an edge in races

Despite Trump’s diminished standing with Hispanic voters, Republicans maintain narrow leads in several hypothetical statewide matchups ahead of the midterms.

In potential U.S. Senate contests, Republican Sen. Ashley Moody leads Democrats Alex Vindman 40% to 33% and Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon 40% to 32%. In possible gubernatorial matchups, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds leads Democratic former Rep. David Jolly 40% to 33% and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings 39% to 34%.

In the generic congressional ballot, 42% of Florida Hispanic voters say they would support Republicans, compared with 38% for Democrats, while 20% are undecided.

More than one-quarter of Hispanic voters in Florida say they are undecided or do not know enough to make a decision in key races.

This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 2:38 PM.