All Over The Map: Why Nevada’s Economic Woes Make It an Election Wildcard

Summary

Podcast Summary: "All Over The Map: Why Nevada’s Economic Woes Make It an Election Wildcard"

Podcast: CNN Presents
Host: John King
Episode Date: September 30, 2024
Guests: Antonio Munoz (small business owner), Zoila Sanchez (real estate agent), Allie Malloy (senior producer)

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Overview

This episode of All Over The Map explores how Nevada's unique economic challenges and its diverse, politically pivotal Latino population shape its role as a 2024 presidential election wildcard. Reporting from Las Vegas, John King delves into voters’ economic anxieties, explores how political loyalties are shifting—especially among Latinos—and profiles two local voices navigating the state’s post-pandemic landscape. The discussion highlights growing divisions, economic frustrations, and the sense that Nevada's outcome could decide the entire election.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nevada's Extreme Economic Recovery and Anxiety

• COVID Fallout:
  • Nevada’s unemployment during the pandemic peaked at 30%, twice the national average, devastating the tourism-based Las Vegas economy. Though jobs are rebounding, “the hangover from all of that is still affecting people” (John King, 00:42).
• Local Realities vs. Tourist Impressions:
  • While the Strip appears bustling, residents face inflated prices, housing shortages, and a cost-of-living crisis (23:32–24:41).

2. The Latino Vote: Diverse & Decisive

• Latino Voter Power:
  • About one-fifth of Nevada voters identify as Latino, a population that's “far from being a monolith, especially this year” (John King, 02:05).
• Shifting Loyalties:
  • Historically Democratic, the Latino vote is increasingly competitive, particularly among men, given concerns about the economy and nostalgia for pre-COVID conditions during the Trump years.

3. Voter Portraits: Antonio Munoz & Zoila Sanchez

Antonio Munoz: The Ambivalent Small Business Owner

Background:

• Veteran, former police officer, now owns a taco restaurant/catering business.
• Reluctant to openly share political leanings due to potential business backlash in Nevada’s polarized environment.

Economic Concerns:

• Recovery is “about five right now. We’re about 50%... heading back in the right direction” (Antonio Munoz, 03:58).
• Rising inflation, unaffordable housing—unionized son recently bought an old, smaller house for “three quarters more than I pay” (03:58–04:54).

On Candidates:

• Initially dissatisfied with both Trump and Biden due to age/stagnation.
• Harris’ entry offered “relief” and “changed the perspective of a lot of voters” (05:19–05:46).
• Requests “a more direct message” from Harris on small business support; feels her economic plans lack specificity (06:59).

Political Leanings:

• Leaning Democratic but admits, “She hasn’t won me over yet. I wish she would have a more direct message... It’s not specific” (06:59).
• Reports more Latino friends “turning Republican” out of economic frustration, but cautions, “do your research... a lot of stuff that’s getting put out there is fake news” (07:32).
• Offended by Trump’s tone on immigration; wants substance, not rhetoric about “dogs and cats” (07:57–08:11).
• As of recording: “It’s a 50, 50 call... This is a battleground... They need to be out here with a direct message and talking to the voters...” (08:33).

Major Issues:

• Priority: economy, housing, and immigration.
• “Between both parties, they have done nothing” for immigration reform; frustration at lack of progress (09:05–09:40).

Voting Decision:

• Likely Democrat, but may decide last-minute: “She really needs to push a little bit harder... get a good platform...” (10:40).

Zoila Sanchez: The Disaffected ‘Reagan Republican’ Real Estate Agent

Background:

• Conservative, considers herself a “Reagan Republican”—but hasn’t voted Republican for president in years.
• “I do think I’m a conservative type of person. I don’t want government in my business that much. It’s incredible to see how now the Republican Party is meddling in all of our business” (14:38).

Economic Perspective:

• Las Vegas housing market “fully recovered” in terms of price, but inventory is low, interest rates high, affordability a major concern (13:29–14:23).
• Calls for federal government to release land for new construction.

On Candidates:

• Voting for Kamala Harris: “Donald Trump... I never liked anything about him... Kamala, at least she represents more of who I am” (15:22).
• Harris “is being very pragmatic about the policies she wants to offer... She just says everything I need to hear” (16:02).
• Inspired by Harris’ historic candidacy: “If we get to elect the first woman president... I mean, I just get the chills” (16:33).

On Party Identity:

• Feels Republicans abandoned her values: “They left me. I didn’t leave them” (15:14).
• Open to returning “if the Republican Party goes back to a Ronald Reagan, George Bush kind of party... We need those kind of Republicans” (19:37).

On Polls and Prospects:

• Skeptical of polling; thinks Harris is “doing better, maybe by a little bit, but she’s doing better” than data suggests because “a lot of Hispanics don’t partake on polls” (19:23).

On Immigration and Trump’s Rhetoric:

• Deeply insulted by Trump’s language: “Everything else, I think I know, ... we immigrants are the worst... That is insulting. When he puts us all in a bundle, it is insulting” (20:21–21:03).

On Youth Vote:

• Her Gen Z and millennial children are all voting for Harris, don’t consider themselves Republicans, reflecting generational and cultural shifts (21:31).

Prediction:

• Confident Harris will win Nevada: “I have no doubt... She’s going to be president. Yes. I’m that confident” (22:12–22:18).

4. Wrap-Up: Insights from the Field (King & Malloy Discussion, 22:41–29:28)

• Economic hardship is at the root of Nevada’s electoral volatility.
• On the surface, Vegas seems recovered; in reality, long-time locals face inflation, housing crunch, and job insecurity.
• Hospitality and restaurant owners embody daily economic realities—rising input costs, fear of raising prices, profit margin squeeze.

Latino Voter Dynamics:

• Competition is fierce. Pre-Obama, Republicans won by huge margins; Obama flipped it by winning two-thirds of the Latino vote. Since then, the state’s been narrowly blue.
• Trump’s rhetoric “offends, is way too polite of a word” (28:41). Yet, for many, those economic grievances outweigh offense, and some are “willing to vote for him, even though he drives them nuts” (29:28).
• For Harris, the path to victory depends on proving her economic competence to undecided and leaning-Trump Latinos.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Antonio Munoz on the economy’s toll:

  “We’re about five right now. We’re about 50% heading back in the right direction. … I don’t see how people afford homes these days.” (03:58)

• Antonio Munoz on political messaging:

  “I wish [Harris] would have a more direct message... I’ve been checking her website and you read it but it’s... not specific.” (06:59)

• Zoila Sanchez on her political journey:

  “I do think I’m a conservative type of person. I don’t want the government in my business that much. … It’s incredible to see how now the Republican Party is meddling in all our business.” (14:38)

• Zoila Sanchez on Harris’ candidacy:

  “If we get to elect the first woman president... I get the chills.” (16:33)

• On Trump’s rhetoric:

  “Everything else, I think I know, ... we immigrants are the worst. … That is insulting. When he puts us all in a bundle, it is insulting.” (Zoila Sanchez, 20:21–21:03)

• John King’s summary:

  “The challenge for Harris… she has an avenue, an opening, if she can present herself as a candidate of change, especially on the economy. But unless and until she does that… She is in a fierce competition for voters who in the previous several elections have been not automatic Democratic votes, but near automatic.” (27:00–28:24 summarized)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Nevada’s economy and intro to importance | 00:42 – 01:55 | | Power and complexity of Latino vote | 02:05 – 02:32 | | Interview: Antonio Munoz | 02:50 – 12:17 | | Interview: Zoila Sanchez | 13:29 – 22:40 | | Roundtable Wrap-Up with King & Malloy | 22:41 – 29:28 |

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Tone & Style

Throughout, the episode is marked by direct, candid, conversational exchanges. The speakers’ voices—especially those of Antonio and Zoila—reflect the fatigue, anxiety, and political ambivalence born of living through Nevada’s roller-coaster economy. John King and Allie Malloy provide clear-eyed context, revealing why Nevada is “off the charts different” (23:32) in its unpredictability.

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Bottom Line

Nevada’s election result remains a toss-up, driven by economic anxieties and a pivotal, non-monolithic Latino electorate. Both major candidates must make clearer, more impactful pitches—especially on the economy—to secure voters like Antonio and Zoila. Nevada isn’t just a bellwether for 2024—it’s the battleground, where ambiguity, frustration, and hope all collide.

Transcript

[John King]

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[Zoila Sanchez]

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[Zoila Sanchez]

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[Antonio Munoz]

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[John King]

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[Allie Malloy]

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[John King]

See mintmobile.com I was deep in it gaming on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Unfolding the screen made it twice as big and so immersive I kind of lost myself.

[Antonio Munoz]

Might have trolled a little too close to the sun.

[John King]

Someone in the chat told me to touch grass. So I took my Z Fold seven outside and kept playing. Still one got a tan and a nice little reset. Powerful processor, realistic graphics. You stay locked in, Streak stays alive. Can your phone do that? The new Galaxy Z Fold 7 get [e-mail] Nevada is not just a battleground in this presidential election. The state, and in particular Clark county, that's home to Las Vegas and home to almost three quarters of the statewide population, is a political bellwether in a very specific way. The economic anxiety that you find all across the country, well, you will find it on steroids right there. The pandemic simply gutted, crushed an economy built around tourism. The Nevada had the highest Covid unemployment rate in the nation. Not just the highest. At one point, twice the national average. 30%. Imagine that 30% unemployment. And the hangover from all of that is still affecting people. Even though most of the jobs are back, even though the numbers are better, people still feel scared and anxious even more, way more than any other place we have visited. The economy is the issue driving political decision making.

[Antonio Munoz]

You know, we took a big hit during COVID and we're barely turning it around and we need to keep moving forward in order to stay in business.

[John King]

The other thing that makes Nevada so critical and so important to keep tabs on is the huge power of the Latino vote. About one fifth of the voters in the state identify as Hispanic or Latino and that number is growing. But as a bloc, especially this year. Far from being a monolith, most of.

[Zoila Sanchez]

My friends are Trump Republicans. But for me it's different.

[John King]

We're going to hear from two voters we've visited and revisited in the last year. These voters offer us a window On a state where this incredibly close election just might be decided. John. I'm John King, and this is all over the map.

[Antonio Munoz]

I hear there are these young ladies.

[John King]

Antonio Munoz owns the 911 Taco Bar. It's a fantastic little restaurant catering outfit that serves up great tacos. The signature dish is a rib eye. Try it if you're there. The restaurant's just a few miles off the Las Vegas Strip. First time we came to see Antonio, he was more than unhappy with his options. Thought both Biden and Trump were too old. And like several small business owners we have met in the course of this project, he was not willing to talk about who he voted for in 2020. He said it was too risky, especially in a 50, 50 state when you're running a small business might cost him customers. He's a veteran, he's a former police officer. Started this business as a quote, unquote retirement job. And he's really busy at it and trying to build it. And your state and your community got hit hardest during COVID when everything shut down. I mean, this was the, you know, sort of fell off the planet economically during COVID Where are we in terms of coming back? Where would you put it on the scale? If Covid was zero, then 10 is, you know, back to a good, healthy place.

[Antonio Munoz]

We're about five right now. We're about 50% heading back into, hopefully the right direction. I think it could have been worse. Everybody was expecting from the worst. They expecting a major recession. And, you know, if you have a recession, the first thing that goes down is the food business, that people are going to stay home, but people haven't stayed home. Things are still moving forward, and hopefully the inflation continues to trickle down and the housing prices, I mean, I don't see how people afford homes these days. My son just bought his first home two months ago, and it's amazingly, it repays three quarters more than I pay. And he has an older home, smaller, less room. You know, something really has to be done to help these guys because they can't raise their money that much, their hourly pay. And they're union workers. You know, my kids are union worker. So he makes good money and he. It's gonna be a struggle for him to pay it.

[John King]

Do you hear the candidates talking about that enough?

[Antonio Munoz]

Not enough. Not enough at all. I don't, I think I heard Kamala say one time, and I don't think I've heard Trump say anything about how to fix it.

[John King]

You know, so when I was here the first time, it was Trump, Biden then. And you said, no, we're not. That's. Those aren't going to be the candidates. So how did you feel in July when all of a sudden, Biden goes away?

[Antonio Munoz]

I actually felt a relief, you know, after that debate. It was obvious that unfortunately, Biden had aged. And for us to have somebody running our country, we need somebody that's at the forefront and ready and energized to take our country forward.

[John King]

When we were first here, we were talking about how competitive Nevada is and how more competitive the competition for Latino voters is. What did the Harris switch do to the mood, to the energy, to the conversation?

[Antonio Munoz]

You know, personally, it gave me something else to look at because I really felt the two candidates that we had at that point in time, before Kamala came on, was stagnant. I really do feel that it changed the perspective of a lot of voters. But, you know, it's still a tough state. You know, I have a lot of my friends that are going Republican right now after this last debate. You know, I heard some things I like from Kamala, but I didn't hear enough.

[John King]

So you're not 100% there yet? You're leaning that way?

[Antonio Munoz]

I'm leaning that way. I still want to see her stance on small businesses and what they're going to do to provide help for us because, you know, we took a big hit during COVID and we're barely turning it around, and we need to keep moving forward in order to stay in business. And I would like to see her platform when it comes to small business.

[John King]

And what specifically do you think? What can Washington do to help you here?

[Antonio Munoz]

The taxation, especially the payroll tax, you know, that really affects us quite a bit because, you know, we're trying to bring on more employees to help, but at the same time, the taxation is extremely high.

[John King]

And so help me understand what she could do to seal the deal. You clearly don't want to go back to Trump. You'd prefer not to?

[Antonio Munoz]

I prefer not to, yes, sir.

[John King]

But. But she hasn't won you over yet.

[Antonio Munoz]

She hasn't completely. I wish she would have a more of a direct message. You know, I've been checking her. Her website, and you read it, but it's very. It's not specific. You know, we do need to move forward. We need a different plan to get over the hump with this inflation that has caused severe damage to a lot of businesses. Luckily, we've been able to stay afloat, and, you know, we have to wait and see. And she needs to be more Direct.

[John King]

You mentioned you have a lot of friends who are for Trump. Is that More so than 2020 and 2016? Is he growing? Is he flatlined? Where is he?

[Antonio Munoz]

To me, he has grown. I have friends that were Democrats that have turned the page and they feel that the country is not going in the right direction. We'll have discussions about it. And I always tell them, do your research. That's very important. Do your research, because a lot of stuff that's getting put out there is fake news.

[John King]

And what was the conversation after the debate where you had Trump talking about immigrants eating dogs and cats?

[Antonio Munoz]

You know, that, you know, I don't, I don't want to hear about dogs and cats. I don't want to hear about, I had a better border back then. I don't want, I want to hear about now. What if something different you're going to do.

[John King]

If I were here right after the Trump Biden debate and Biden was still in the race and I asked you who was going to win Nevada, what would you have said that those in.

[Antonio Munoz]

Those days, I would lean towards Trump. I would really lean towards Trump just because of the fact that I don't think he could last another four years.

[John King]

And now with a few weeks left, who's going to win Nevada?

[Antonio Munoz]

Man, that's a tough one. It's a 50, 50 call. You know, we just had a governor's race and our Republican governor won. He's doing well. So it's a 50, 50, Tasha, because this is a battleground and you cannot forget about Nevada. And they need to be out here with a direct message and talking to the voters out here.

[John King]

It's tight in terms of the issues. You mentioned your small business perspective, is it by far the economy is the top issue. And then maybe whether it's abortion, immigration, other things that kick in, but economy like, and then a big gap.

[Antonio Munoz]

Mine's the economy, the housing crisis and immigration. Immigration is always going to be something within my family is to be close and personal and no one has done anything for any of them. You know, you try to make headway and for our families that have been here for years and they still can't be, you know, a natural citizen, it's terrible. I mean, between both parties, they have done nothing and you know, the border, obviously it seems that gotten better with a few things that Biden did this past couple months. But why not do it when it started? Why wait so long?

[John King]

What is that? What is that conversation among your friends when you, you know, you hear Trump, that is number one he says he wants to close the border or improve the border, but then his tone offends a lot of people. And then you have Harris saying, you know, it was Trump, that they would have signed that bill and made at least some significant progress, but Trump said, don't vote for it to Republicans.

[Antonio Munoz]

I mean, how do you want the best for America and want to block something that's going to help America? And that's one of the things that hurts me the most, is for him to talk down about America. America is a world leader. We have always been, and for everybody to talk down, it's the worst nation, we have the worst president, we have the worst. I mean, it's just rhetoric. This is America. We're the best. No matter who's there, the people make it the best.

[John King]

So you don't want to vote for Trump. You're not convinced in Harris. If she doesn't convince you, do you skip the president? Do you give her the benefit of the doubt? Do you go third party?

[Antonio Munoz]

Do we have a third party?

[John King]

I think Jill Stein is on the.

[Antonio Munoz]

Ballot here, but yeah, I don't know who that is. So third party is definitely not a thing. I'm going to have to vote for someone and this could be probably a last minute thing and I'm probably going to vote Democrat most likely at this point in time, the way things are going. But she really needs to push a little bit harder because there's not much time and get a good platform where she's going to stick to and let us know exactly what she wants to do.

[John King]

When we were here last time, you were reluctant to talk about some of this, who you voted for in the last election, because you said it just gets you too much grief. You're trying to run a business. And, you know, people say, you know, you're, you're either for Biden or you're for Trump. You seem a little more open now. Is that just because in this moment or the climate's a little different or you're just.

[Antonio Munoz]

Because we actually have a different candidate? Probably, you know, somebody that's below 80, I believe, which, you know, in our 50s.

[John King]

Shocking.

[Antonio Munoz]

Yeah.

[John King]

Under 60.

[Antonio Munoz]

Under 60. 59, to be exact.

[John King]

So you said you still think it's 50, 50 here, but she's in a better position than Biden would have been. Is that fair?

[Antonio Munoz]

Definitely. Definitely.

[John King]

Because of the end.

[Antonio Munoz]

I go to a lot of Latino events and lunches and stuff, and you hear them speak. Some people are happier with the choice. You have somebody that's, I wouldn't say presidential like, I mean, she very poised, very poised. And you know, she's done several different things within the government. You know, she came up with immigrant parents, which to me, it's amazing for someone like that to come and be able to be president. It's hip.

[John King]

All right, thank you for your time.

[Antonio Munoz]

Thank you.

[John King]

When we come back, another lens on the Vegas economy from somebody whose mind is a little more made up. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, host of the Chasing Life podcast.

[Allie Malloy]

If you think about your devices that can integrate vocal biomarkers to help understand your health, that's really where the future is going, in my opinion.

[John King]

Dr. Yael Bunsusan is a laryngologist. She is director of the University of South Florida's Health Voice Center. She is co leading research there on using AI to try and detect diseases and perhaps even treat them. Listen to Chasing Life streaming now wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back. Zoila Sanchez has a front row seat on the roller coaster that's been the Nevada economy over the past five years. She's a real estate agent now. Zoyla considers herself a Reagan Republican, but she hasn't voted Republican for president for a very long time. She's conservative, said she would love to vote Republican, but in her view, the party she supported doesn't exist anymore. How are things going? How's business?

[Zoila Sanchez]

For me, it's been slow. Of course, you know that interest rates hiked up really high, so a lot of people are still afraid to purchase. But this is the best time to buy. Once interest rates go down, inventory is still very low, so prices are going to go up.

[John King]

And how much does that affect the mood here in terms of Nevada? Vegas were hit harder than any other place in the country during COVID when the economy just shut down. From then to now, where are you fully recovered? Mostly recovered.

[Zoila Sanchez]

We are fully recovered. We're fully recovered. Our inventory here in Las Vegas is extremely low because we don't have that much land to grow. We are hoping that the federal government releases more land so we can build more.

[John King]

So you have an interest rate problem in the housing market, but you also have an availability problem.

[Zoila Sanchez]

Exactly.

[John King]

So let's come to the presidential race. When we were here before, you described yourself as a Reagan Republican who keeps voting for Democrats for president.

[Zoila Sanchez]

The latest. Yes, yes.

[John King]

Why is that?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Why is that? I guess because I am. My nephew described me as a centrist and I said, I don't know what that means, but. But I am more practical about what the person is doing for the country. And I do describe myself as a Republican because I do think I'm a conservative type of person. I don't want the government in my business that much. And so it's incredible to see how now the Republican Party is meddling in all of our business.

[John King]

So you view that as their fault? They left you. You didn't leave them.

[Zoila Sanchez]

Yeah, they left me.

[John King]

And you're gonna vote for Kamala Harris?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Am I gonna vote for Kamala? Yes, I am.

[John King]

Why?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Definitely. Why? First of all, Donald Trump has never. I've never liked him. I never liked anything about him. Nothing. The way he speaks, what he represents, more than anything, has nothing to do with me or my family life or anything. And, of course, Kamala, at least she represents more of who I am.

[John King]

In what way.

[Zoila Sanchez]

She talks to me. She just says everything that I need to hear.

[John King]

Are there specific issues where you say, thank you, that's what we need, or is it just more broadly?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Yes, well, it's more broadly, but at least she is being very pragmatic about the policies that she wants to offer. I'm saying wanting because even though she says it, I know. I mean, it might not come true because she's not the only one that has a say. So we all know that Congress, the Senate, they all have something to do with all that.

[John King]

Is it because of her positions? Does her being a woman, Being a woman of color have anything to do with it? Is that an added bonus?

[Zoila Sanchez]

It is an added bonus for me, yes. Wow. To live another part of history. I mean, I lived it with Barack Obama. That was huge for our country's history. And now if we get to elect the first woman president, it is. I mean, I just get the chills.

[John King]

To witness history again in conversations with your friends and family. How different is it from when Biden was the candidate to now with Harris as the candidate?

[Zoila Sanchez]

They're still kind of the same. Most of my friends are Trump Republicans, but for me, it's different. I was very disappointed when he stepped out of the race. I felt he was being judged just by his age.

[John King]

But did you watch the debate?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Yes, I did. It was sad.

[John King]

Do you understand why people might have been judging him?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. So when he first announced it, it was hard, but then I realized, you know, yes, the debate said it all.

[John King]

So are you more confident that Harris can win Nevada than you would have been after that debate about Biden winning Nevada?

[Zoila Sanchez]

She's going to win Nevada, definitely.

[John King]

Why do you say that?

[Zoila Sanchez]

We are all working very hard for Kamala Harris just by Seeing the numbers, and I know that Hispanics have made a difference in a lot of elections, and I can see it right now.

[John King]

Is that different in terms of the energy of other people? Is it higher with Harris than it was with Biden?

[Zoila Sanchez]

It is higher with Harris. They're more excited about her. She's very energetic, and I think that's what we all need, energy to realize who we are.

[John King]

You mentioned you have a lot of Trump Republican friends. Mm. What do they think of the change?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Some of them, they don't really care. Or a lot of them are just lack of education. That's the way I feel anyways, that they're not. They're not educated enough on the issues. They're just going by what they hear.

[John King]

Having lived through 2016, 2020, now into 2024. The Democrats won Nevada in 2016. Hillary Clinton won, Biden won. But very close, very close. And if you go right now, if you look at the polling, it's tied, or maybe she's plus one or two, but it's very, very close. Just in terms of conversations, having lived through the last two, where are we now in this one?

[Zoila Sanchez]

I just feel that a lot of Hispanics don't partake on polls. They just don't want to deal with it. I'm one of them. When they call me, I don't answer their questions.

[John King]

So you think she's doing better than the polling would suggest? You don't think it's tied?

[Zoila Sanchez]

I don't think he's tied. I think she's doing better, maybe by a little bit, but she's doing better.

[John King]

If Trump loses and goes away and the Republican Party goes back to a Ronald Reagan, George Bush kind of party, would you go back to being a Republican?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Yes. Yes, definitely. We need somebody like Mitt Romney, George W. Bush. We need those kind of Republicans.

[John King]

But for now, at least for president, you're a Democrat?

[Zoila Sanchez]

At least for president, yes, I'm a.

[John King]

Democrat or Democratic voter anyway. How do you describe that? How do you describe that to people? Do you say, I'm a Republican, but I vote Democratic? How do you describe it?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Because right now, Trump doesn't represent the Republican Party. You know, I know he's Republican, but I don't feel he's the Republican. And that's why so many Republicans are not backing him. They're not endorsing him.

[John King]

You were there anyway. But was there anything watching the debate that made you more mad at him or more happy to be supporting her?

[Zoila Sanchez]

I was more happy to be supporting her. I mean, he was lost. He just kept blaming everybody else for the problems. He basically blamed it on immigration and the border. And of course, now we all know the wildest thing was about people eating cats and dogs, which I was shocked when she said that because I had not heard it before. Everything else I think I know, I've heard about that. We immigrants are the worst. And we're coming from mental institutions and jails and everything else, which is not true.

[John King]

You find that insulting?

[Zoila Sanchez]

It is very insulting. It is very insulting because, yes, in every society, there's, you know, criminals and people that don't follow the rules or the laws. But when he put a song in a bundle, it is insulting.

[John King]

We were talking about your son before we sat down for the interview. What's your impression of younger people? Are they where you are, or is it more of an issue?

[Zoila Sanchez]

Yeah, my twins are Gen Z. They're registered nonpartisan. Of course, they would never vote for Trump. They never consider themselves Republicans. They don't agree with me on a lot of stuff. It's incredible. And my oldest is a millennial. He's registered Democrat. He also doesn't agree with me on a lot of issues, but we live in the same household.

[John King]

Are they all gonna vote for Harris?

[Zoila Sanchez]

They all gonna vote for Harris?

[John King]

No reservations.

[Zoila Sanchez]

No reservations.

[John King]

When we're counting votes on election night, when we're done with the count, you have no doubt?

[Zoila Sanchez]

I have no doubt.

[John King]

Because this state's so close and competitive, if she's winning here, she's gonna be president.

[Zoila Sanchez]

She's gonna be president. Yes.

[John King]

Okay.

[Zoila Sanchez]

I'm that confident.

[John King]

You're confident? Yes. Anything else you wanna add?

[Antonio Munoz]

No.

[Zoila Sanchez]

No.

[John King]

All right, good.

[Zoila Sanchez]

No. Very excited. Very excited to be part of all this and to believe in history. To me, all of this is history. History for my grandkids and everybody else that comes after me.

[John King]

Thank you.

[Zoila Sanchez]

Thank you.

[John King]

All right. Allie Malloy is the senior producer for all over the Map. She is right there in the room with me for all of these interviews. Ten states in all over the last year, plus, including two trips to Nevada, right?

[Allie Malloy]

Yep. I was trying to get in at some point. The fact that I made John gamble and he lost his money.

[John King]

She was trying to teach me how to play roulette. So I put $20 in the machine. At one point, I was up over a hundred dollars. I knew it was time to walk away, but I just stayed until I lost it all. We didn't even go to a real table with a real dealer. We just went to a computerized roulette game.

[Allie Malloy]

So no one could judge us.

[John King]

It was pretty. It was not our proudest moment.

[Allie Malloy]

JOHN We've traveled to a lot of places in our all over the Map series this year, and we constantly hear from voters. The number one issue in their minds is usually the economy or it's up there. But in Nevada, it's just everything.

[John King]

It's off the charts different. And what is striking is what you see is really not what you get. You land at the airport, it's crowded. You get in a cab or an Uber and there's traffic. You go to the casinos and there are crowds and the floor is full. And so you think, oh, Vegas is back. But the people who live in Vegas, in the suburbs around it, don't spend too much time on the Strip. They may work there, they may have one of those good union jobs there, but when work is done, they go home. And so when we go meet our voters a couple of miles away from the Strip, you hear grocery prices are still high, the rents are going up. I can't afford a bigger home or I can't afford a first home. During this high interest rate period, all these big investors have come in and bought up the available properties and they're jacking up the rents or they're selling them at rates I can't afford because of high interest rates. And the federal government owns a lot of the land around the city, so we can't have a lot more building. And so you have an affordability cost of living crisis. Steps away from all the neon and all the money on the Strip, they're almost afraid to be confident because every time things start to pick up, they get whacked in the head.

[Allie Malloy]

JOHN it shouldn't really be a surprise to our listeners here that we love to interview restaurant owners because we love to eat their delicious. In Arizona, we heard from Ray, who owns a chain of restaurants in Tucson, who's incredibly ambivalent as a voter today. We heard from our friend Antonio, who runs a restaurant and catering business, a tale of two taco joints, if you will. But where our Arizona voter, Ray was so disaffected, he was thinking third party. Tony has a very different take.

[John King]

Tony is in a different place. Ray's still looking. Ray still thinks third party. Tony didn't like them when we first met, but now he's leaning Harris. He wants more specifics, specifically about her economic plans, her small business plans, because his small business sometimes struggles. But another thing they share, both of these guys, Ray and Antonio, the price of their products are going up. The price of Their supplies are going up. To keep their profit margin, they'd have to raise prices. But if they raise prices, they might lose customers. So they have eyes on the economy. Are people spending money? Are your regular customers coming all the time? How much are they spending? Anywhere you go in America, for me as a political reporter now for almost 40 years, is you want to find out the local economy? Go to the restaurant closest to the big factory. Go to a guy whose business rises or falls based on how happy the locals are and how willing they are to spend money. And in Vegas, that's Antonio, because he's part of the community. As he says, we don't go to the Strip. We're here to work. We're here to build a community. We're here to build our families. And so to me, he is an absolutely fantastic window because he has to run the books for the restaurant and he has to fill those stools and tables. So he knows the economy because he lives it every day.

[Zoila Sanchez]

Yep.

[Allie Malloy]

So, John, conversations about immigration take on a different tone in the Southwest, in no small part because of the demographics. Latino voters make up about a fifth of the electorate, and a lot of these people themselves are immigrants or they're the children of immigrants or they work among immigrants and their neighbors are immigrants. What do you make of the conversations that we've heard?

[John King]

It's a huge competition. And if you think about it, Barack Obama won almost 70%. He won two thirds of the Latino vote. And that was the change. That's when Nevada became blue, and it's been blue ever since. And Hillary Clinton won Nevada. Joe Biden won Nevada. So you think, why is Nevada in play this time? It's in play because of one word, economy. You have these voters who are looking around, and a lot of them remember Covid crushed them. Well, what was just pre Covid, they had a pretty thriving economy. Donald Trump was president. Now, you could bring an economist in to say, Donald Trump inherited a great economy from Barack Obama. Maybe the Trump tax cuts juiced it up a little bit more. They also increased the deficit. But we're not here for an economic debate. We're here to talk politics and how people think, and that's how they think that the economy under Trump was good. My interest rates were low. The interest rates are high now. They can't move up. Inflation was not this high. I could afford my groceries. So there is this nostalgia for the pre Covid Trump economy. Economy. We've heard that everywhere, but you hear it more and more here. And so without a doubt, particularly Among Latino males, this is a much tighter competition than it has been in recent election cycles. And because of the math, very, very close state, very high percentage of Latino voters. That's fascinating, and it's huge, and it's impactful. And so the challenge for Harris, you know, she has an avenue, an opening, if she can present herself as a candidate of change, especially on the economy. But unless and until she does that, you could see it when we were there, you could feel it when we were there. She is in a fierce competition for voters who in the previous several elections have been not automatic Democratic votes, but near automatic.

[Allie Malloy]

One thing that was interesting from all of the voters we kind of spoke to in Nevada was their friends, who maybe our voters were, whether they were leaning towards Harris or what. But they've heard from a lot of their Latino friends that whether it be from the economy mostly or anything else, they're leaning Trump.

[John King]

There is no question that Trump's tone about immigrants offends, is way too polite of a word. When you talk to people who either are immigrants or first generation Americans whose parents were immigrants and who, as you note, are surrounded every day by people who come from somewhere else. And yet you made the important point. So many of them say they might vote for him. So what does that tell you? It tells you they're hurting. It tells you economically they're hurting. And one of the things that we have learned in our travels, and you hear it especially from people who are offended by Trump's tone, a lot of them say, I know it's coming now. I will figure out a way to block it out. I won't listen to that part, but I'll get this part. And if this part is a better economy, they're willing to vote for him, even though he drives them nuts.

[Allie Malloy]

Says a whole lot.

[John King]

It also tells you that as much as Harris has improved the standing of the Democrats, once Biden switches to Harris, the standing is better. There's a lot of energy for Harris. I don't want to underestimate that. There's a lot of energy for Harris. She's in play. But to get over the finish line, she has to convince people on the economy, she's very competitive. She may well win. But the reason we are in this incredibly close, unprecedentedly close race nationally and a literally 50, 50 race in Nevada is because she has not convinced people to trust her on the economy. They trust Trump more on the economy. And that has been their life for the past five years. Economic toughness, economic anxiety, economic pain, economic worry, and they want it to end. And that's why their vote for president will be for the person they think will end what they feel as quickly as possible, who will get me out of this faster. That's how they're gonna pick a precedent. Even if he calls them names that piss them off. This podcast version of all over the Map is a CNN audio production. Our show producers are Grace Walker, Jesse Remedios and Ally Molloy. Our editor is Graylin Brashear, and our senior producers are Dan Bloom and Haley Thomas. Dan Dezulla is our technical director, and Steve Lichti is executive producer of CNN Audio. Support from Nikki Robertson, Jacqueline Kahlo, Alex Manassari, Robert Mathers, John Dianora, Laney Steinhardt, Jamis Andrust, Nicole Pesaru, and Lisa Namoro. Special thanks to Wendy Brundage and Katie Hinman. I'm John King. Thanks for listening. Foreign.

[Allie Malloy]

This week on the Assignment with me, Audie Cornish. My guest is Larry Wilmore. He's a writer and producer who's worked on some of the most successful shows of the century. In Living Color, the Bernie Mac show, the Daily Show, Blackish, Insecure, we're just naming a few, but in his heart.

[Zoila Sanchez]

He'S still a comedian.

[Antonio Munoz]

I'm getting back into doing standup again, which I really haven't done full time in a while. So.

[John King]

What?

[Allie Malloy]

Wait a second. Like, you're going.

[Zoila Sanchez]

You're doing open mics?

[Antonio Munoz]

I'm going up Saturday night. I'm gonna start working on a new hour. Yeah. So it's a little scary. Audie, don't get me wrong.

[Allie Malloy]

I can imagine.

[Zoila Sanchez]

Evan, what do you think is pulling.

[Allie Malloy]

At your chest here?

[Antonio Munoz]

I feel like I have to say something. I can't stay silent anymore about just the world that I'm in.

[Zoila Sanchez]

Listen to the Assignment with me, Audie. Corn streaming now on your favorite podcast, apparently.