California Latina Voters Show Wider Gaps With Latino Men on Trump and Immigration
Posted on 09/18/26 at 20:51
- California Latina voters prioritize immigrant protection
- Young people show greater political differences
- Education reduces the gender gap
According to the EFE agency, Latina voters in California show significant differences from Latino men when evaluating immigration, the White House agenda, and the protection of democracy, according to a new analysis by UCLA and UC Berkeley.
The study found that 69% of Latinas consider protecting immigrant communities very important when evaluating gubernatorial candidates, compared with 52% of Latino men, a difference of 17 percentage points.
The same gap appears when respondents are asked about opposing President Donald Trump’s agenda: 68% of Latinas considered the issue very important, compared with 51% of registered Latino men.
Democracy and voting rights recorded the highest percentages among both groups: 87% of Latinas and 77% of Latino men said the issue is very important when considering gubernatorial candidates.
Young California Latinas Show Greatest Divide on Immigration and Trump
#REPORTAJE / Latinas in California show greater concern for immigration, democracy, and Trump https://t.co/qdpn8GxYOw via @Departamento19 pic.twitter.com/AYNGDd0Jp2
— Departamento19 (@Departamento19) September 18, 2026
According to departamento19, the differences are significantly wider among voters under 30, a group in which women expressed higher levels of concern than men of the same generation across all three issues studied.
On immigration, the contrast reaches 28 points: 88% of Latinas under 30 consider protecting immigrant communities very important, while the figure among young Latino men is 60%.
The gap is even wider regarding opposition to Trump’s agenda: 82% of young Latinas consider the issue very important, compared with 52% of men under 30, a difference of 30 points.
On democracy and voting rights, 92% of young Latinas gave the issue high importance, compared with 74% of Latino men in the same age group, according to the published results.
Education Also Shapes Priorities of Latino Voters
Education level introduces another nuance: among those without a college degree, the gender differences are 22 points on protecting immigrant communities, 19 points on Trump’s agenda, and 12 points on democracy and voting rights.
In contrast, among voters with a university degree, the differences narrow significantly: four points on immigration, seven on the presidential agenda, and four on democracy and voting rights.
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The report is based on the May 2026 survey by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, which included 1,912 registered Latino voters in California and is part of a series examining this electorate ahead of the 2026 elections.
Researchers argue that the results show the importance of analyzing the Latino electorate by gender, age, and education simultaneously, rather than treating it as a group with uniform political priorities.
Why It Matters and What the Study Reveals About California Latina Voters
The data show meaningful internal differences among registered Latino voters in California, especially between young women and men, which can help explain their different political priorities.
The largest divide appears among voters under 30 regarding Trump’s agenda: 82% of Latinas consider it a very important issue, compared with 52% of men.
UCLA LPPI and UC Berkeley IGS analyzed responses from the May survey of 1,912 registered Latino voters and broke down the results by gender, age, and education.
Readers can consult the full study and review its methodology to distinguish differences between groups and avoid generalizations about the preferences of the Latino electorate.