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Many Latinos Voted Republican Because of Religious Values

The called it the awakening of a sleeping giant; record numbers of Latinos turning out to vote because of Donald Trumps racist comments about Latinos and illegal immigration. But what ever 'awakening' there was didn’t deny Trump the Presidency. Religious values may have allowed a Trump to secure a larger portion of the Latino demographic than projected.

Gabriel Montoya is an New Mexico State University student from a religious family, that he said always votes Republican. Montoya also has a Mexican heritage. He said Donald Trumps racist statements and proposals to deal with illegal immigration did not change the way he and his family voted this year. 

“I don’t view my heritage more important than my citizenship’ Montoya said. “I think being American is more important than being Hispanic. I think that his values, go more with my party than any one else’s at this point.”

A Pews Research center election report analyzing date from the last three presidential elections found the more religious a voter is,  the more likely they are to vote republican.

Simon Thompson was a reporter/producer for KRWG-TV's Newsmakers from 2014 to 2017. Encores of his work appear from time to time on KRWG-TV's Newsmakers and KRWG-FM's Fronteras-A Changing America.