Cortez Masto, the first Latina elected to the Senate, leads Laxalt 46 percent to 44 percent according to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll. The race is viewed as one of the tightest in the midterms, potentially shifting control of the Senate from the Democrats to the Republicans in 2023.
The survey of 500 likely voters was conducted via landline and cellphone from October 4 to October 7. The margin of error is +/- 4.4 percentage points.
Hispanic support has dwindled for the Democrat, the poll shows, as her advantage in her own party has decreased from 18 points in August to just seven points now.
Along with driving Cortez Masto’s unfavorable ratings up six points between August and the time the poll was conducted, Suffolk University Political Research Center Director David Paleologos said Laxalt’s economic message has broadened his appeal among Hispanic voters.
The economy/inflation is the No. 1 issue among 48 percent of Hispanics, more than whites (43 percent) and Blacks (23 percent).
The question is whether those same Hispanics will come out to vote for Laxalt, or in general.
Paleologos said that while 77 percent of white voters and 72 percent of Black voters reported motivation to vote this November, that number is just 66 percent among Hispanics.
Cortez Masto has touted the endorsements of over 200 Latino officials, activists, small- business owners, etc. She has also attacked Laxalt for statements he’s made regarding immigrants.
Axios reported in April that Laxalt spent $13,000 on radio ads in Elko and Las Vegas, expressing his opposition to immigrant protections for children brought to the United States as children—those ubiquitously known as “Dreamers.”
The ads implored “stopping unconstitutional attempts to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants.”
Laxalt’s campaign website includes a promise “to finish the wall, implement other technological solutions and close the porous southern border.”
He also supports the “remain in Mexico” policy enacted during former President Donald Trump’s administration, which was later reversed by the Supreme Court in what was seen as a victory for the administration of President Joe Biden.
“Cortez Masto is desperate because she has done nothing in the Senate except act as a rubber stamp for Joe Biden, which is why Nevadans are now being crushed by record inflation and skyrocketing gas prices and they’re eager to elect a senator who will actually represent them,” Brian Freimuth, press secretary for the Laxalt campaign, told Newsweek.
David McIntosh, president of the conservative super PAC Club for Growth Action, told Newsweek that Nevada is home to “the most important Senate race in the country.”
The group does not take into account social issues and focuses solely on economics.
In its support for Laxalt, the group recently announced over $2 million in new Spanish and English ads highlighting Cortez Masto’s “soft-on-crime policies.”
Current investments include $1.4 million in broadcast; $386,000 in radio; $603,000 in digital; and $239,000 in mail.
It is the single largest investment in Hispanic media in this race by any Republican group, McIntosh said, and is part of an eight-figure independent expenditure effort on Laxalt’s behalf.
One English YouTube ad says the Democrat is “so weak on crime, it’s dangerous.”
“While Democrats have long taken the Hispanic vote for granted, it’s important to reach this audience and let them know where the candidates stand on the issues that matter like crime, schools, inflation and the economy,” McIntosh said.
Newsweek reached out to Cortez Masto, Laxalt and the Nevada Democratic Party for comment.
Update 10/13/22, 3:09 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from Laxalt’s campaign.
