tmt play Did Trump Just Lose His Crucial Latino Support?

Republicans’ growing support among Latinos is no longer guaranteed after a comedian made a racist joke at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally. But could it cost Trump the election? Isvett Verde, a Times Opinion editor, speaks with Mike Madrid, a Republican and an expert on Latino voting trends and behaviorstmt play, about why the election may hinge on each candidate’s ability to sway Latino voters.

Will the Racism at Trump’s Madison Square Garden Rally Matter?Latino voters could determine who will be the next president. Donald Trump might have jeopardized his chances with them.

Below is a transcript of their conversation for this episode of “The Opinions,” edited for length and clarity. We recommend listening to it in its original form for the full effect. You can do so using the player above or on the NYT Audio App, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

Isvett Verde: I’m Isvett Verde, and I’m an editor for New York Times Opinion. And my work here focuses on immigration, the border and Latino power in America. Every four years, there’s a bunch of hand-wringing by both parties over the so-called Latino vote. This year is no different.

Since 2012, no Democratic candidate has been able to secure the level of support that Barack Obama won, 71 percent. And one of the things I’ve been thinking a lot about in this election is how Kamala Harris and Democrats have or have not been appealing to Latinos. But then this happened.

Clip of Tony Hinchcliffe: I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. Yeah, I think it’s called Puerto Rico.

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