NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Juan Garcia, a 22-year-old barber, was waiting at his station in North Town Barbershop, a family-owned business for six years, hoping his last client would still arrive.

With no music playing, two other barbers lounged on a red couch using a gumball machine as a stand for their Nintendo Switch, engrossed in Mario Kart. “It’s a slow day,” Garcia remarked, noting a recent dip in customers.

Situated in a bilingual neighborhood, signs for services like “Servicios de DMV.” and local businesses offering notary services and money transfers to Mexico and Central America adorned the area. Nearby, eateries serving tamales, tacos, BBQ, and cheesecake made for a vibrant community, along with Broadacres Marketplace, a well-frequented flea market.

Garcia has been at the barbershop for three years; although it wasn’t his ideal career, it became a necessity after a soccer injury. The income is enough for bills, but not for moving out of his parents’ home.

“It’s a tough choice because of the economy; I think it plays a big role,” he mentioned. “We need to consider it for a better future.”

As he contemplates his voting decision for November, economic issues weigh heavily on him. He finds himself leaning towards Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Garcia reflects a growing trend among young Latino men who are considering Trump this election cycle, although a larger segment of Latino voters still support the Democrats. In a tight race in Nevada, the loss of young Latino men’s votes could significantly affect the Democrats’ chances.

According to a recent YSL News/Suffolk University poll, Harris leads Trump with Latino voters in Nevada, 56% to 40%. While she has solid support from Latina women, Trump is gaining ground among Latino men under 50.

A little over half (53%) of Latino men aged 18-34 support Trump compared to 40% for Harris. Similar percentages were seen for Latino men aged 35-49, at 53% for Trump and 39% for Harris.

For 23-year-old Brian Ruiz from North Las Vegas, Harris’s promises do not convince him they will help the economy.

Although Latinos experience a high employment rate in the U.S., many are in low-paying jobs, often reliant on physical labor, with a higher representation in construction and maintenance sectors compared to other demographics.

As inflation rates slowly decline from the pandemic’s peak, Latino households, more than their White counterparts, feel the financial strain.

“I think we’re just going to accrue more debt,” Ruiz stated.

However, he believes things were more affordable under Trump’s presidency and noted that there wasn’t any conflict during that time. “Honestly, it wasn’t all that bad,” he said of Trump’s administration. “Since Harris and (Joe) Biden took office, it seems like things have gotten worse.”

Outreach Issues and Support Deficit

Just a few miles from the Las Vegas strip, a sizable crowd gathered at UFC’s Apex Arena for a night of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) matches on a Tuesday evening.

Mostly men filled the audience, cheering wildly for their fighters. Some bouts ended quickly, but for ten competitors that night, it was an opportunity to impress Dana White, a Republican and Trump supporter.

Trump has been making appearances at major UFC events recently, engaging with young male audiences, particularly among Latinos.

Over the past months, Trump has surprised fans by showing up at significant UFC shows and has been featured on various podcasts and has received endorsements from popular Reggaeton artists Anuel AA and Nicky Jam, despite some backlash from Latino communities against their support for the GOP nominee.

These moves, however, resonate with certain Latino male voters.

Yordany Gonzalez, a 34-year-old Las Vegas resident and registered Democrat who voted for Biden in 2020, recalls the moment he lost faith in Biden’s leadership, which was marked by an executive order protecting LGBTQ+ rights on Biden’s first day in office.

“Students should be able to learn without the fear of being denied access to restrooms, locker rooms, or participating in school sports,” stated Biden’s executive order.

Gonzalez, an avid martial arts practitioner and father, expressed his discontent with this move.

He mentioned that Latinos are often “very conservative,” countering the stereotype that Republicans are merely “rich white individuals.” Despite his skepticism towards both Democratic and Republican parties, Gonzalez believes Republicans are presently better equipped to address economic challenges.

“Maybe it’s time to focus on ourselves and say, what about everyone else? We can’t address all your needs right now; we need to prioritize our own,” he expressed. “I just feel like the Republicans appear more self-serving.”

Rafael Collazo, the executive director of UnidosUS Action Fund, highlighted that the growing support for Republicans among Latino men indicates a “persistent disengagement” from the Democratic Party regarding the larger Latino community.

This disengagement results in a lack of information, which fosters frustration and leads to the spread of misinformation among voters, according to Collazo. He noted that Latino men, in particular, aren’t receiving messages from Democrats that resonate with them, especially regarding economic issues.

“The idea of Trump as a business expert unfortunately gains traction,” Collazo commented regarding Latino men’s trust in Trump.

With less than a month remaining until the election, the Harris campaign is striving to regain support from Latino men. They have initiated “Hombres con Harris,” a campaign focusing on economic messaging to mobilize Latino men. Key campaign supporters will visit Latino-owned businesses, sports bars, carnes asadas, union halls, and various community venues to connect with Latino men.

Gov. Tim Walz, Democratic vice presidential nominee, along with Rep. Reuben Gallego and actor Jaime Camil, launched this effort in Arizona. The campaign plans to conduct numerous events in critical battleground states like Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Nevada to attract Latino male voters.

Harris’ campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Sen. Ray Luján from New Mexico, and Rep. Adriano Espaillat from New York attended a boxing match featuring Mexican champion Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga last month in Las Vegas. Alvarez’s victory was celebrated by many Mexicans in the U.S.

Additionally, Harris organized a rally in Las Vegas in September, which drew an attendance of 7,500 people. Walz also held a rally in Reno on Tuesday, following a previously planned event that had to be canceled due to a local wildfire.

As part of this outreach, Harris will participate in a town hall with Univision this Thursday. Trump is also set to engage in a Univision town hall next week, which was postponed due to Hurricane Milton.

However, Collazo expressed uncertainty about whether Harris’ town hall will resonate with young Latino men, particularly those leaning towards Republican views. The town hall is designed to cater to Latino voters as a whole.

“Some Latino voters are now either supporting (Trump), are potentially supporting him, or are genuinely undecided at this moment, especially those tuned into traditional Univision programs,” Collazo noted.

Previous elections reveal a widening gap in Nevada

Mario Arias has noticed a noticeable change in attitudes among Latinos in his Las Vegas community.

Certain Latino small business owners reflect on the prosperity they experienced under Trump, according to the 31-year-old. However, that’s not the sole factor driving some Latinos away from the Democratic Party.

Many feel frustrated with the lack of tangible progress, especially those who remember voting for Barack Obama in 2008. Some are second or third-generation voters shifting their focus to different priorities than those of their parents or grandparents.

Arias believes that “Kamala (Harris) has to face the consequences of those who are leaving.”

Arias, a political organizer who remains unaffiliated with the Democratic Party, intends to vote for Harris in November. However, he knows individuals in his circle who either won’t vote or plan to support Trump.

For him, “some progress is better than none.”

Despite this, Latino support for the Democratic Party has been on a decline since 2016, according to Collazo from UnidosUS Action Fund.

In Nevada, former President Barack Obama secured over 75% of Latino voters in 2008, as per exit polls. By the following election in 2012, he garnered 70% of their support. Yet, in 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton only managed to win 60% of the Latino vote, narrowly securing Nevada over Trump. In 2020, Biden won Nevada’s Latino vote by a similar margin, with 61% supporting him according to CNN exit polls.

Currently, Harris’ support levels are falling short compared to Biden’s support in 2020, based on the YSL News/Suffolk University poll.

Collazo attributes this decline in Latino support for Democrats to the party’s failure to engage with Latino voters consistently throughout the year, which is necessary to address the community’s needs effectively.

“Latino men are clearly communicating their feelings through their political opinions, indicating that no one is talking to them, no one is engaging them, and they feel excluded from the conventional Democratic and progressive dialogues,” he highlighted.

Back at the barber shop, a client finally arrived. Meanwhile, the rest of the shop was quite quiet.

Mateo Guerrero, a barber who has worked there for just a couple of months, was busy playing Mario Kart. Unlike Garcia, who plans to vote, Guerrero has decided against it. The decision was straightforward for the 23-year-old.

“They all claim they will make changes, but nothing ever materializes,” he stated.