Conservative Latino Group Backs GOP Senate Hopefuls in Ohio and North Carolina
The LIBRE Initiative Action, a conservative-leaning Latino political organization, is moving to endorse Republican Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio and former RNC Chair Michael Whatley in North Carolina in 2026 Senate races that could decide control of the chamber. LIBRE senior adviser Daniel Garza told CBS News the group will focus its voter education and grassroots outreach on economic issues—jobs, inflation, taxes, energy and health-care regulation—which its internal polling shows are the top priorities for Latino citizens. The group’s effort comes amid signs that Republican gains with Latino voters under Donald Trump may be slipping, with recent elections in Texas, New Jersey and Virginia showing heavily Latino areas swinging or solidifying Democratic and polls indicating most Latinos now disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy and immigration. Latino populations in Ohio and North Carolina are growing quickly, and strategists in both parties see them as potential 'wild card' voters who could tip close races between Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Whatley and Democrat Roy Cooper in North Carolina. The article underscores that Latino turnout has remained high since 2024, forcing both parties to invest heavily in direct, one-on-one persuasion in battleground states where a relatively small shift among Latino voters could alter the balance of power in the Senate for Trump’s final two years.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- LIBRE Initiative Action will endorse Republican Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio and former RNC Chair Michael Whatley in North Carolina in upcoming 2026 Senate races.
- LIBRE plans to emphasize economic concerns—jobs, inflation, utility bills, taxes, mandates and regulation—in its outreach to Latino voters in both states.
- A Pew Research Center study found Trump won 48% of Latino voters in 2024, a 12-point gain over 2020, but more recent polling and state elections show Latino-heavy areas trending or remaining Democratic and many Latinos disapproving of his handling of the economy and immigration.
- Recent contests in Texas, New Jersey and Virginia show high Latino turnout and Democratic strength in heavily Latino areas, complicating GOP hopes of locking in 2024-level gains.
- Garza says Latino voters in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina and to some extent Georgia are likely to be a 'wild card' in competitive 2026 races.
đź“Š Relevant Data
In Ohio, the Hispanic population constitutes 5.1% of the total population as of 2024, having more than doubled since 2000, primarily due to migration driven by economic opportunities in sectors like manufacturing and agriculture.
Ohio Hispanics — Ohio Department of Development
In North Carolina, the Hispanic population grew by 40% from 2010 to 2020, reaching 1.1 million people or 11% of the state's total population, with growth driven by domestic migration due to economic appeal and international immigration from Latin America.
Hispanic Population is Fastest Growing Population in North Carolina — North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management
In North Carolina, the unemployment rate for Hispanics was 3.7% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.0% for Whites and 5.8% for Blacks, with the overall state rate at 3.7%.
2025 Q1 | State Unemployment by Race and Ethnicity — Economic Policy Institute
In Ohio, the unemployment rate for Hispanics was 4.5% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.5% for Whites and 6.8% for Blacks, with the overall state rate at 4.0%.
2025 Q1 | State Unemployment by Race and Ethnicity — Economic Policy Institute
Recent Latino population growth in states like North Carolina has been influenced by economic opportunities in agriculture and construction, though recent anti-immigrant policies under the Trump administration have increased marginalization and vulnerability in these communities.
Most Latino immigrants in North Carolina were already isolated by language and geography. Now fear is keeping them at home. — El Pueblo
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