Latino Vote So Fragmented, Even Spotify Can’t Make a Playlist

KEY POINTS

•Consultant Mike Madrid tells Axios Latino voters are splitting into three distinct political groups rather than realigning in 2024.
•MAGA Hispanics prioritize order and religion, Movement Progressives focus on social justice, and Disillusioned Nonvoters mostly skip elections.
•Criticism from Republicans of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl show has backfired, with polls showing more Latinos prefer him over Trump.

In a 2024 political plot twist juicier than a telenovela, Latino voters—15% of USA's electorate—aren't just realigning, they're breaking up like a reality show couple. Mike Madrid, GOP consultant and author of 'The Latino Century,' calls it a 'dealignment' because loyalty is on vacation. Forget one-size-fits-all messages; these voters split into three gangs for 2026: 'MAGA Hispanics' who worship order, masculinity, and YouTube binging; 'Movement Progressives' scrolling TikTok and canceling candidates faster than you can say 'student debt;' and 'Disillusioned Nonvoters' who treat elections like optional DLC, powering their skepticism through Facebook and WhatsApp. Meanwhile, former Trumpies now dishing hard disses on immigration and economy, with 70% disapproving Trump, thanks to ICE theatrics and Minneapolis shootings. The icing on the political piñata? GOP’s criticism of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show just pissed off Latinos more, with Yahoo/YouGov polling 42% saying Bad Bunny 'better represents America' than Trump’s 39%. Sisto Abeyta, Democratic consultant, sums it up: some Latinos are fired up, some skeptical, and many just ghosting like bad Tinder matches. Madrid warns, ditch the Ranchera playlists and Joe Rogan’s now their mixtape. In other words, Latino voters aren't just a swing vote—they’re the ultimate plot twist nobody’s scriptwriting right.