Here’s how Spanish-language misinformation will play a role in the 2022 midterms

WAMU 88.5 | By Sophia Alvarez Boyd

Published February 28, 2022 at 6:18 AM MST

Hispanic and Latino voters are increasingly trusting Republicans more than Democrats, according to new polling from the Republican Congressional Committee.

Texas kicks off the 2022 midterm elections on March 1.But Democrats and political strategists have been raising the alarm about a problem months before ballots were ready to be cast: Spanish-language misinformation.

Latinos were the second-largest voting bloc in the 2020 presidential election for the first time. And nearly 70 percent of those voters get political information from social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, according to the research group Equis Labs.

Former President Donald Trump made significant gains among Latinos. And the Republican Congressional Committee found that Latinos believe congressional Republicans are more trustworthy than Democrats on issues like the economy, immigration, and crime. South Texas and the Rio Grande Valleyreflect that national shift, where Hispanic women are running and gaining GOP support among Hispanic and Latino voters.

So how does Spanish-language misinformation fit into that voting pattern? And how will it affect the midterms?

Here&#8217;s how Spanish-language misinformation will play a role in the 2022 midterms

Here’s how Spanish-language misinformation will play a role in the 2022 midterms