Former CHC Chair Nanette Barragán: Latino Trump Voters Have ‘Buyer’s Remorse’

Rep. Nanette Barragán, the former chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said Latinos who voted for President Trump in the 2024 election have “buyer’s remorse” over his promises on the economy and immigration.

“They’re saying, ‘I’m worse off, I’m paying more in higher cost, higher prices. I can’t afford this anymore,’” Barragán said on the latest episode of the On NOTUS podcast. “‘We thought he was going to go after the worst of the worst, the criminals.’ He’s not, he’s going after our gardeners, our housekeepers, even doctors, DACA recipients.”

“They’re looking at what’s happening and saying, ‘This is not what we voted for,’” Barragán said.

According to the exit polls, Trump carried 46% of Hispanic and Latino voters in the 2024 election, up from 32% in the demographic in the 2020 election.

Barragán said that Democrats faltered with Latino voters in the 2024 election because of a failure in communication.

“I think Democrats got so much done that we didn’t know what to focus on,” Barragán said. “People were not feeling what we did. And a lot of this is how people feel. … If they don’t feel it, they’re not going to give us credit. They’re going to try something else.”

Barragán said it was “unfortunate” that sitting Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat lost his primary to Darializa Avila Chevalier, but she believes it was likely due to the New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s endorsement of Chevalier rather than the weakness of the CHC.

“I don’t know the politics of New York, but I know one thing, and that is the mayor there has been popular,” Barragán said. “His messaging is resonating with a lot of Americans.”

Chevalier expressed interest in joining the Hispanic Caucus if she’s elected in November — Barragán said she expects Chevalier to be approved by an admission vote of the members.

With more self-proclaimed socialists expected to join her in Congress, Barragán said she does not know what values socialists stand for but that Democrats of all stripes were united to oppose President Trump.

“My understanding is whether you’re a Democrat or you’re a democratic socialist, you don’t agree with this president and what he’s doing on raising costs,” Barragán said. “I believe we should be welcoming of anybody, even if Republicans want to make the switch.”

Barragán was one of more than 100 House Democrats who voted yes on an amendment from Republican Rep. Thomas Massie to end all aid to Israel.

The California Democrat said the amendment was “overbroad” and cut necessary humanitarian aid, but defended her vote as the will of her constituents.

“At the end of the day, it was about listening to constituents and also sending a message that we are not going to continue to support [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s wars and the killing of innocent people with our money,” Barragán said. “Just like I vote against President Trump and his money for war, it’s the same rationale.”

Barragán supported a measure to send military aid to Israel in 2024, but said Netanyahu’s leadership led her to change her stance.

“Things have changed, the landscape has changed,” Barragán said. “It was time to say we’re not just going to keep funding something because we’ve done it in the past. We’re going to look at everything going on, and we’re not going to support a president in Israel who is just frankly doing whatever he wants.”

On NOTUS is a weekly podcast where NOTUS reporters talk to lawmakers about their work in Washington and what motivates them. You can download or listen here.