Fact Check: "Biden won Latinos by a staggering 2-to-1 margin in 2020."
What We Know
The claim that "Biden won Latinos by a staggering 2-to-1 margin in 2020" is supported by a comprehensive analysis conducted by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative. According to their report, Latino voters played a crucial role in Biden's victory, supporting him over Trump by a margin of at least 2-to-1 in 12 out of 13 states analyzed. Notably, in nine of those states, the margin was even greater, at least 3-to-1. The only exception was Florida, where Biden's support among Latino voters was less than 2-to-1, primarily due to strong support for Trump in Miami-Dade County (UCLA Report, UCLA Analysis).
Nationwide, approximately 16.6 million Latino voters participated in the election, marking a 30.9% increase from the 2016 election. This turnout was significantly higher than the overall increase of 15.9% among voters of all races (UCLA Report). The report emphasizes that while Biden had substantial support from Latino voters, the dynamics varied significantly by region, particularly in Florida, where the Latino vote is notably diverse (UCLA Analysis).
Analysis
The evidence supporting the claim comes from a well-researched report by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative, which is known for its rigorous analysis of Latino voting patterns. The report's methodology involved analyzing actual ballots rather than relying on exit polls, which can be misleading due to small sample sizes and demographic biases (UCLA Report, UCLA Analysis). This approach lends credibility to their findings.
However, the claim oversimplifies the situation by not accounting for the significant regional variations in Latino voting behavior. For instance, while Biden did achieve a 2-to-1 margin in many states, the results in Florida, particularly in Miami-Dade County, where Trump received the majority of Latino votes, indicate a more complex landscape. In fact, outside of Miami-Dade, Latino voters in Florida did support Biden by a 2-to-1 margin (UCLA Report, UCLA Analysis).
Additionally, other sources corroborate that Latino voters generally favored Biden, with some polls indicating support levels around 62% for Biden compared to 29% for Trump (NBC News Poll). However, these figures also highlight the variability within the Latino electorate, suggesting that while Biden had strong overall support, it was not uniformly distributed across all Latino communities.
Conclusion
The claim that "Biden won Latinos by a staggering 2-to-1 margin in 2020" is Partially True. While it accurately reflects the overwhelming support Biden received from Latino voters in most states, it fails to capture the nuanced reality of Latino voting patterns, particularly in Florida. The 2-to-1 margin is valid in many contexts but does not apply universally across all regions, especially considering the significant support Trump garnered in specific areas.
