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US Election 2016: The words Trump might regret

Donald Trump may regret what he said about Latinos by election's end.

Donald Trump may regret what he said about Latinos by election's end. Photo: Getty

Donald Trump may have inspired his own demise in today’s election with early voting data suggesting a record surge in Hispanic voters.

The Republican candidate has regularly offended the Latino population during his campaign, with rants to build a wall along the Mexican border, deport undocumented Hispanic immigrants, and labelled citizens as criminals and rapists.

“I will build a great wall … I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words,” Mr Trump said in June 2015.

In the same month of announcing his candidacy for president Mr Trump said: “We’re rounding ’em [Latino immigrants] up in a very humane way, in a very nice way. And, by the way, I know it doesn’t sound nice. But not everything is nice.”

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best … They’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists,” he said in July this year.

Now it appears his tirades have mobilised the Latino community, with a significant increase in Latin-American voters in crucial states.

In Florida – which is a consistent bellwether of presidential elections with 29 delegates in the Electoral College – Hispanics represented 15 per cent of the early vote.

Almost 1 million of the 6.4 million early voters in the state were Hispanics.

It is a striking statistic when compared to 2012, when Hispanic voters made up just 12 percent of the final electorate, The New York Times reported.

And according to University of Florida political scientist Daniel Smith, “we’re headed for record turnout in Florida”.

“So far, 36 per cent of the 907,000 Hispanics who have voted in 2016 didn’t vote by any method in 2012,” Professor Smith said.

“That’s a full 12 points higher than whites, and will likely be the key to who wins the presidency.”

Trump Latino Vote

Donald Trump has pushed Latinos to vote in droves. Photo: Getty

It’s predicted the surge of voters could replicate that of President Barack Obama’s influence on the African-American community in 2008 and 2012 when black voters turned out in record numbers.

Early and absentee voting trends in Nevada (nine delegates) offer a similar rise in Latino votes and in favour of Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In Nevada, the Latino turnout in early ballots propelled Democrats in Clark County – which takes in Las Vegas – to a lead of 72,000, which would be enough to secure the state for Ms Clinton, Politico reported Nevada political analyst Jon Ralston as saying.

Hispanics account for 28 per cent of Nevada’s population and are the largest minority in America.

Donald Trump called the system “rigged” at “certain key Democratic polling locations” when early voting polls in Nevada stayed open until 10pm, past the 7pm deadline.

“It’s a rigged system. It’s a rigged system. And we’re going to beat it,” he said.

Who are Latinos voting for?

Trump Latino vote

Polls suggest Latino voters are heavily in favour of Ms Clinton. Photo: AAP

If the polls are right, Ms Clinton will almost certainly be on the receiving end of the huge Hispanic turnout.

Across the nation, Latino voters are leaning towards the Democratic candidate over her Republican counterpart by more than three-to-one, a Washington Post and Univision poll reported.

It showed 67 per cent of Hispanics preferred Ms Clinton as president, with Mr Trump at just 19 per cent.

Meanwhile, polls from Tarrance Group and Bendixen and Amandi for Florida and Nevada suggest Latinos favour Clinton over Trump, 60-30 and 72-19 respectively.

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