Andres
Andres, a Mexican immigrant and long-haul trucker who lives in Las Vegas, voted for Biden in 2020 hoping for economic relief and experienced leadership but he grew frustrated by what he saw as Democratic inaction and shifting priorities, especially on the economy and immigration. Personally, he was most impacted by the rising cost of fuel, food, and housing, and felt the promise of economic stability slipping despite steady work. Andres was empathetic toward more recent immigrants and proud of his own journey; he believed the system should reward hard work and legal pathways, and argued that Biden’s poor border management ultimately hurt working families like his. He viewed Trump as flawed but direct, valuing bluntness, tax relief proposals, and a focus on affordability; Andres also expressed that he no longer saw Republicans as exclusionary or racist given the growing number of Latinos who were moving toward the party. For Andres, his shift toward Trump was about wanting to see results: lower costs and accountability.
Main Interview
Andres’ worldview remained grounded in a consistent set of values — personal responsibility, economic survival, and the belief that systems should reward hard work — even as his confidence in national leadership began to show more tension. Andres centered his shift to the Republican Party around local control, legal immigration, and personal responsibility, arguing that everyone should work hard and follow the same legal immigration process his family did. As a newer father, he saw civic engagement—like serving in the PTA and focusing on local governance — as the real driver of change. He valued lower taxes, business incentives, and Trump’s direct communication style, though he disagreed on specific issues like the Epstein files. While once loosely affiliated with Democrats, he began to see Republicans as better aligned with economic improvement, border enforcement, and his values; he also believed his shift reflected personal maturity.
Our initial interviews were conducted in participant’s homes, and lasted approximately 3 hours. The follow up interviews were conducted remotely via Zoom, and lasted around 30 minutes. The following are shortened clips from these interviews.
November 2025
Andres reacted skeptically to news that Latinos were abandoning Trump in the 2025 elections. He described the ongoing government shutdown as confusing and scary due to the pause in services, and noted that ultimately only the rich will benefit if social safety net programs continue to erode. While he still expressed some belief that Trump was trying to “look out for us,” and spoke positively about figures like RFK Jr., he also described growing discomfort with the direction of the administration — pointing to stories like the White House ballroom remodeling and the deployment of the National Guard to cities like DC and Chicago as actions that felt excessive and contrary to what the Founding Fathers intended.
December 2025
Andres continued to express strong support for Trump and the broader GOP, even as his day-to-day reality reflected growing strain. He still believed Trump was trying to “look out for us,” and while he acknowledged frustrations with how things were playing out, his political loyalties hadn’t meaningfully shifted — push came to shove, he was still firmly on Team Trump. He also spoke positively about members of the administration, including RFK Jr. He described adapting to rising costs, calling high prices “tough” and the “new normal,” signaling a sense of resignation rather than confidence that leadership would deliver relief. Andres was also uncertain about the attacks on Venezuelan boats, saying he didn’t know enough to determine who was “innocent” versus a “bad guy.” Of all the recent developments, however, he said he was most directly impacted by the end of subsidies for the ACA, which he worried would prevent him from going to the doctor — highlighting how his political views remain shaped most by immediate economic and family vulnerability.
Meet the Cohort
