Less dramatic than Utah — but equally remarkable — are Texas and Arizona. The Republican margin has shrunk considerably in the Lone Star Sate, and it is on the verge of going blue. Although Arizona has been at the vanguard of the nativist movement, it isn’t responding to Trump, thanks to the state’s growing Latino clout. Indeed, for the first time in 20 years, the Grand Canyon State is giving a slight edge to a Democrat in a presidential election.
But the truly telling development in Arizona is in the race involving Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Maricopa County. For 23 years, he has been terrorizing the Latino community through illegal racial profiling. Trump wears Arpaio’s endorsement like a badge of honor. But the sheriff is 15 points behind for a seat that he won by 40 points in 2000. Meanwhile, Republican Sen. John McCain has opened a 15-point lead over his Democratic rival — after breaking ranks with Trump’s harsh anti-immigration talk and unendorsing him.
Nevada and North Carolina are also flipping — or close to flipping — from red to blue, and for many of the same reasons.
With the exception of Iowa and maybe Ohio, it is hard to think of any swing state where Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric will provide a November boon for Republicans. It has, however, put them on track to lose four or more swing states. There is no doubt that Trumpism is pushing America’s growing number of Latino voters ever more into the arms of Democrats.
