(Image courtesy of Flickr)
On May 24, 2022, 19 children and two adults were killed, with 17 others injured, in a school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX.
The incident has sparked outrage and intensified the debate about guns in America and the security of our nation’s schools.
I express my sincerest sympathies for the victims, their families, and the people of Uvalde County.
Located about 80 miles (130 km) west of downtown San Antonio and 54 miles (87 km) east of the Mexico–United States border, Uvalde County’s population was 15,217 at the 2020 census.
Per Wikipedia, Hispanics/Latinos account for 78 percent of Uvalde’s citizens while Whites, multiracial individuals, Asians, and Blacks represent 19, 1, 1, and .33 percent of the county, respectively.
The birthplace of actor Matthew McConaughey, Uvalde County strongly supported former President Donald Trump in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Of their roughly 10,150 votes cast, Trump received support from 59.7 percent while President Joe Biden claimed 39.4 percent.
Trump also bested Hillary Clinton there but by a lesser margin, 54 to 43 percent.
Given the county’s high percentage of Hispanics/Latinos, Trump’s whopping 20 percentage point win there might be surprising to some because a comfortable majority of Latinos — an estimated 61 percent — supported President Joe Biden.
However, that marked an 8 percentage-point swing toward Trump among Hispanics/Latinos versus the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. Hence, Uvalde County is indicative of the gains Trump made with Hispanics in 2020.
Why do you think Republicans are gaining with Hispanics/Latinos despite the negative rhetoric from GOP leaders and voters as it relates to The Great Replacement Theory and people from Mexico and Central America?
And do you think Republicans’ reluctance on implementing more strict gun laws will swing the pendulum back in favor of Democrats?