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Latino Voters Swing Back to Democrats in N.J. and Va., Alarming GOP Ahead of 2026

Exit polls point to backlash over immigration enforcement as a key factor.

Overview

  • CNN exit polling shows Mikie Sherrill winning 68% of Latino voters in New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger taking 67% in Virginia.
  • AP/Fox News voter analysis finds young men shifted left, with Sherrill carrying 18–29-year-old men 57–43 and Spanberger winning 58% of young men.
  • Black voters overwhelmingly backed the Democrats, with Spanberger winning 93% of the Black vote and Sherrill 94%, outpacing 2024 Democratic performance.
  • Republicans described the results as a wake-up call before the 2026 midterms, with Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar warning that Hispanics have moved back toward Democrats.
  • Reporting cites concerns over aggressive ICE tactics and cost-of-living pressures as drivers of the shift, and an AP-NORC poll shows Trump’s approval among Latinos falling to 25% from 44%.