President-elect Donald Trump pulled off a historic upset in Texas’s Starr County on Tuesday night, capturing a community that hadn’t voted Republican since 1896. With a 97% Hispanic population, Starr County has long been a Democratic stronghold, yet Trump won over 57% of the vote—a striking sign of shifting dynamics among Latino voters in Texas and nationwide.
This victory signals a growing alignment with Trump among Hispanic voters, particularly men, on issues such as border security and illegal immigration. Exit polls indicate that while Harris retained a slim majority of the overall Latino vote in Texas at 53%, Trump saw notable gains, winning 54% of Latino men in the state—a sharp increase from the 36% he received in 2020. Harris also saw a decline in support from Latina women, who backed her at 61%, down from Biden’s 69% in 2020.
Trump won Starr County TX, most Hispanic county in America at 97% by 16 points.
Last time it voted republican was in 1892.
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) November 6, 2024
This trend wasn’t isolated to Starr County; Trump also made strides in other traditionally Democratic areas along the border. Cameron, Hidalgo, and Webb counties—all areas that Biden and Clinton previously won by double digits—are now poised to flip to Trump.
This shift reflects growing frustration over immigration policy and border security, issues that have become more pressing under the Biden administration. South Texas Republicans like Reps. Monica De La Cruz and Tony Gonzales secured re-election with ease, underscoring a Republican surge across the region.
Starr County’s pivot highlights the impact of intensified immigration challenges under the Biden administration, especially following the end of the Trump-era Title 42 policy, which had previously allowed rapid expulsion of migrants at the border.
After Title 42 expired, Texas saw a record influx, with over a million people attempting to cross the border in just a few months. Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s strategy of busing migrants to sanctuary cities underscored the scale of the crisis, turning the spotlight back to the border and propelling it to one of the top national concerns this election.
Trump’s campaign leaned heavily into promises of strict immigration reform, pledging to make the border his first priority and to reinstate policies aimed at reducing illegal crossings and accelerating deportations. This approach seems to have resonated with Latino voters who live near the border and feel the impact of federal immigration policies on their daily lives.
Nationwide, Trump improved his support among Latino voters since the 2020 election, gaining 8 percentage points among Latino men and 6 among Latina women, according to Fox News Voter Analysis. This surge reflects a broader trend in Latino communities who are increasingly receptive to Trump’s message of border control and economic opportunity.
