GREENACRES, Fla. — Polls and surveys tell a story, but are they getting it right with Latinos in Florida?
The latest study from the Pew Research Center shows 54% of Latinos disapprove of President Joe Biden's job performance.
Both parties are working hard with outreach to get Hispanics registered to vote.
Right now, studies show 80% of registered Hispanic voters nationally put the economy as the top issue swaying their vote. Which party is tackling that issue the best is the debate.
A pastor involved in politics, Lydia Maldonado, wakes up every day and opens a Republican party resource center.
"We’re right in the heart of the Hispanic community in Greenacres," Maldonado said.
The goal is to get Hispanics registered to vote and educated on their options for office.
"This goes beyond abortion. This election is all about inflation," Maldonado said.
Maldonado feels Democratic candidates are missing the boat when it comes to the key issues for Hispanics. A Pew Research Center study found the economy is top of mind for Hispanics in the U.S., with health care coming in a close second and education third.
"Tell me what you can do now to make sure gas doesn’t go back up to $4 a gallon. Because it’s hurting my ability to put food on the table. Those are the issues," said Lazaro Mur, an independent.
In 1965, Mur arrived in the U.S. from Cuba on a shrimp boat, standing in the Hispanic iconic Jose Marti Park in West Palm Beach. Mur said parties in line with what’s hurting Hispanics' wallets right now will get the upper hand.
"I think the parties are accepting that they need to get more focus on messaging to our communities and to serve our communities differently," said Rolando Chang Barrero, president of the Palm Beach County Democratic Hispanic Caucus.
Chang Barrero said when it comes to Hispanics, he takes what polls say with a grain of salt.
"When you come to Florida and you poll, Latinos in belle glade it is not the same thing as in Miami or in Orlando. It is not the same thing," Chang Barrero said.
It’s no secret Republicans have made significant strides in Florida among Latino voters. In 2020, former President Donald Trump saw a 12-point gain in support among Latino voters compared to 2016.
Maldonado said locally, it comes down to which candidates make the strongest connections with the Hispanic community.
"The people we put in office, we need to know that they are not just going to be there when you vote for them. That they are going to be there when you need them," Maldonado said.
Nationally, the Pew Research Center said registered Latino voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic party over the Republican party by a two to one margin.
