Press Release

‍WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index published its final results for April showing four straight months of decline. This comes on the heels of a new Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this week showing President Trump’s economic approval rating has fallen to just 37%, down from 42% less than 100 days following his inauguration. In response, Melissa Morales, Founder and President of Somos Votantes, released the following statement: 

“The data doesn’t lie, hardworking families are financially struggling, and President Trump continues to turn a blind eye. Latinos are facing rising prices, unstable markets, and an economy that’s leaving them behind. Now, with consumer sentiment steadily declining and home sales falling to the lowest levels since the 2009 financial crisis, the alarm bells are deafening. This isn’t what voters were promised.”

“Our March polling confirms what we're seeing now—economic anxiety is rising, especially in Latino communities. The Trump Administration is focused on everything but lowering prices and ensuring financial security for families. Latino voters tell us they see his policies favoring the wealthy while working people are left struggling with rising costs and increasing financial insecurity. The economy isn't just a headline—it's the lived experience of millions of working people, including Latinos, who are working harder than ever, only to fall further behind. We need leadership that listens, takes action, and builds an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.”

The Reuters poll and Somos Votantes March poll reveal a clear message: Voters aren’t feeling the benefits of Trump’s economic policies and aren’t convinced they are working. The Somos Votantes poll, the first comprehensive post-election poll of Latino voters, offered one of the earliest and most in-depth looks into how Latino communities are responding to the current economic climate, which continues to be confirmed

• Economic concerns dominate voter priorities, with 67% rating the U.S. economy as poor and only 14% saying they live comfortably. The cost of living is by far the top concern (50%), followed by healthcare, jobs, and retirement security.
• Trump’s economic record is a major liability – 63% believe he prioritizes the wealthy over working families, and his handling of the economy has a net -13 disapproval rating.
• Trump’s economic agenda is unpopular – including majorities who strongly disapprove of Musk’s DOGE (60%), Trump’s tariffs agenda (60%), and tax cuts for the wealthy (60%). 
• Large majorities of Hispanic/Latino voters rate the U.S. economy as poor, and few believe it is improving. Roughly two-thirds of Hispanic/Latino voters say the economy today is poor (67% negative/poor, 30% positive/good, net -37), and most believe the economy is getting worse (53% worse, 23% staying the same, 20% getting better). As we’ve seen in other similar research among general voters, attitudes towards local economies are slightly less negative (58% negative, 37% positive, net -21).
• There is little separation between how Hispanic/Latino voters rate Trump’s handling of the presidency overall vs. his handling of the economy – with both net negative. By nearly equal margins Hispanic/Latino voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance (43% approve, 54% disapprove, net -11) and his handling of the economy (41% approve, 54% disapprove, net -13).

You can learn more about the poll results here. 

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About Somos Votantes

Somos Votantes is a Latino-led, Latino-focused organization that runs some of the largest independent Latino civic and voter engagement programs in the country. We envision a nation where hardworking Latinos have the opportunities and tools to fully participate in our democracy. Somos Votantes seeks to empower hardworking Latinos in shaping the future of our democracy, primarily through non-partisan civic engagement programs, by increasing our participation in elections and advocating for progressive policies.

Visit https://www.somosvotantes.com/ for more information on this program and other projects, and follow the organization on Instagram, Facebook, and X.

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