LAS VEGAS, Oct 22, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Las Vegas market worker Maria Salinas believes Democrats have failed their traditional Latino supporters for too long, and -- like many others in this key voting bloc -- is ready to vote for Donald Trump for the first time.

"I think Trump can change things a little," she said, speaking to AFP at the juice stand she runs in the electoral battleground state of Nevada.

The Democrats offer "promises and promises... but nothing changes for us," said Salinas, whose relatives have been waiting for years to receive the legal right to move to the United States.

"This time I'm going to vote for Trump to see if he helps us."

Latinos are the second-largest ethnic group in the United States, and represent 22 percent of voters in Nevada.

That share has grown rapidly to become a vital factor in the southwestern swing state's elections, as thousands of immigrants are lured each year by the promise of work at Las Vegas's flashy casinos and hotels.

Democrats have won every presidential election in Nevada since 2008. But barely two weeks before this year's election, Harris leads Trump in Nevada by just half a point in polling averages.

"I've never understood why they always insist that Latinos have to be Democrats," said Las Vegas restaurant owner Javier Barajas.

"The Democrats have never helped us at all," adds the Mexican man, who crossed the border in the 1980s and ended up by accident in the gambling metropolis.

Barajas built his gastronomic empire from scratch, but says the highlight of his "American Dream" story was hosting both Trump and President Joe Biden at his restaurants earlier this year.

Shaking hands with Biden -- just before he stepped down as the Democratic nominee -- was "very pleasant, an honor."

But meeting Trump "was more than an honor, because he is the right person for this country," said Barajas.

The restaurateur proudly shows off a pair of gold-colored sneakers bearing a Trump logo -- a gift from the former president's visit.

With this election, for the first time, Barajas is ready to publicly call himself a Republican voter.

"Now, yes, I say it. Because I am very upset with the Democrats and all their promises," he said.

"It's time to tell them, 'OK, enough. We do not agree with you.' They need to take us more seriously."

- 'The criminals' -

While Latinos in the United States overall continue to lean toward the Democratic Party, that national margin has narrowed.

In 2012, a whopping 71 percent of Latinos voted Democrat, compared to 27 percent Republican.

By 2020, the gap had closed to 66 percent Democrat and 32 percent Republican.

A recent UnidosUS poll indicates just 57 percent of Latinos are leaning toward Harris, and 34 percent Trump.

Some Latino voters blame the current Democratic administration for the rising cost of living, and are disaffected by its immigration and border policies.

Barajas, for example, believes Trump's promises of mass deportations if he reaches the White House will only impact "the criminals."

"He will not go after the workers," said Barajas, who spoke personally with Trump for around 10 minutes during the former president's visit.

While he discussed with Trump how many Latinos despise his anti-immigration rhetoric, Barajas does not take it personally. And he is not alone.

A majority of US Hispanics believe Trump is not talking about them when he accuses immigrants of eating pets, being criminals, and "infecting the blood" of the country, according to a major New York Times poll this month.

- 'Immigrant parents' -

Harris's ascension to the Democratic nomination appears to have improved her party's standing in the presidential race among Latinos, at least compared to Biden.

"She is the child of immigrant parents," said Ricardo Fernandez, 54.

He thinks the Democrats just need to communicate their message better to Hispanics.

"Many Latinos are not well informed" about the threat posed by Trump, he added.

"It is really important that the Hispanic community pays attention to what is at stake. We are talking about one candidate who wants to help the middle class, and another whose plan is to strengthen millionaires and billionaires.

"So where does that leave Latinos? How many Latinos are millionaires in the United States?" he asked.

That is a widely held concern in North Las Vegas, a Latino stronghold and home to the sprawling, colorful Broadacres Market.

There, the predominantly Hispanic workers like Salinas express concerns ranging from the economy to struggles with getting legal documents and status.

Carlos Reyes, 57, who runs a clothing stand, says he feels more inclined to support Harris because "she started like everyone else, from the bottom."

But even he remains undecided, just days before he will cast his vote.