Entrance poll: Trump wins with Nevada Hispanics

Donald Trump won among Hispanic voters in Nevada, according to entrance polls released from Tuesday night’s caucuses, fulfilling an oft-repeated campaign pledge.

{mosads}The GOP presidential front-runner, who coasted to an easy victory in the Silver State, won 44 percent of the Hispanic vote, according to MSNBC’s entrance polls, topping Marco Rubio’s 29 percent and Ted Cruz’s 18 percent.

Both Rubio and Cruz are Cuban-American.

Entrance polls are not always precise, but Trump used the news to bolster his claims that he’s attracting a broad coalition of support as he addressed his supporters in a victory speech Tuesday night.

“You know what I am really happy about? I’ve been saying it for a long time: 46 percent with Hispanics, No 1. with Hispanics,” he said.

Trump has received significant criticism from Hispanic organizations for his harsh rhetoric on immigration and for saying most Mexican immigrants bring rape and other crime to the U.S.

Polls throughout the fall showed Trump with a dismal favorability rating among Hispanics nationally. But despite those numbers and the blowback that he’s faced, Trump has repeatedly pledged that he would win over Hispanic voters.