this is "nightline." >> tonight, comedy for a cause. george lopez sharpening his image, championing his community. >> what changed, in your mind that changed your act a little bit? >> the simple answer would be donald trump. >> spotlighting the power ofthe latino vote in america. and standing up for the most vulnerable. >> i think my vote matters for the people who are in the fields or cleaning the hotels. >> could energizing the largest nonwhite voting group help decide the presidential race? plus, bearing the brunt of covid-19. >> what we're seeing, really, is historic decimation among the hispanic community by this virus. >> latinos, some of the hardest hit. >> i never knew it was going to

take my husband away. >> how the human toll of the pandemic could impact the outcome of the election. the most dangerous thing about rheumatoid arthritis is often unseen. because the pain you're feeling could be a sign of irreversible joint damage. every day you live with pain, swelling, and stiffness... you risk not being able to do the things you love. especially in these times, it's important to keep up with your rheumatologist. schedule an appointment today. it's important to keep up who'sgovernor gavin newsom. the governor says prop 15 is, "fair, phased-in, and long overdue reform", that "will exempt small businesses and residential property owners." join governor newsom. vote yes on 15.

who's supkamala harris.5? harris says, "a corporate tax loophole has allowed billions to be drained from our public schools and local communities. no more. i'm proud to support prop 15." vote yes. schools and communities first is responsible for the content of this ad. ♪ thanks for joining us. you know, we're exactly one week away from election day.

donald trump and joe biden making their final campaign stops. and among those working to get out the vote, comedian and actor george lopez. tonight, abc's jim avila on why lopez is convinced the latino vote could decide the presidential race. >> first place i ever went on stage. first place i ever heard anybody say, if you worked hard you could achieve anything you wanted to do. >> reporter: george lopez is back at his los angeles elementary school where the auditorium he first performed in is named after him, a humble start for the man who would go on to lead his own abc sitcom also bearing his name. >> look, doctor, even if i did want to talk about and it my mom was driving me crazy, i'm chicano, we don't believe in therapy. >> reporter: now he's changing that father next door image. he's no longer the george hoe pez you thought you knew. his slicked-back dark hair, today pandemic white. now bringing a harder, more political edge, performing

standup specials on hbo and netflix with titles like "the wall" and "we'll do it for half." >> as long as george lopez is alive, i promise you, i will never, ever let anyone disparage latinos or mexicans, as long as i'm alive. >> you strike an attitude. >> on the stage, yeah. >> what changed, in your mind, that changed your act a little bit? >> the simple answer would be, donald trump. when you have a guy who announces his candidacy for president by calling latinos rapists and criminals and drug dealers. nobody's covering what we're going through. it's not going to be bill maher, it's not going to be anybody, chris rock, it's not going to be chappelle. they're talking about their culture are if i don't talk about mine, there's nobody talking about it, whether you like it or not. but i'm george lopez, and i must. i think i have to. >> do you think the conditions and the times we're in are going to motivate the latino voter more than it has in the past?

>> if it doesn't, man, i'm not sure what will. >> reporter: so lopez is now working to get out the vote. >> joe biden is fantastic. joe biden is a great dude. >> reporter: helping the biden campaign. and joining latino organizations to reach some of the toughest voters to bring out, latino males. fewer than half of eligible latino voters turned out in the last presidential election. 28% voted for president trump. some responding to this message on the economy. >> we had the most successful economy we've ever had. we never had an economy -- african-american, hispanic-american, asian-american, women -- >> latinos that are voting are listening, at least, to voting for trump. why is that? >> you're going to get latinos that are going to be trumpers because of their self loading of their own community, and not being reminded where they come from. the minute you start to have a good life, you don't want to be reminded of that life. ♪

>> reporter: in florida, the latino electorate is dominated by the cuban refugee population who listened to donald trump's unsubstantiated claims that joe biden and kamala harris are socialists. >> these people are crazy. it's now the party of socialists, marxists, and left-wing extremists. >> i'm voting for donald trump because i believe he's the best for america. i believe socialists and communist is the sin. for me, i'm from cuba, 42 years ago. >> reporter: 20% o the voting population in florida is latino. marisa franco's organization, call me jente, "my people" in england, is part of a campaign there called "get trump out." >> here in florida, you have people from all over, how people view issues. as you can see, it's been really effective, this idea that the democrats are socialists. that's been a really dividing issue here.

>> reporter: in texas, another hugely important state, some voters agree their community is not monolithic. >> i have friends who are republican and mexican, and we have the same conversations. they're vote hog they vote for. or democratic, and they vote who they vote for. that's the misconception, we don't all vote the same, and that's what's magical about it. >> reporter: there are an estimated 32 million eligible latino voters in the united states. early vote be numbers predict a record showing. veronica torres of hey, chica, focuses on latinas. >> we invite people to be a part of something bigger than the vote. it's about the sisterhood, standing behind their positions, to stand up and have their voice heard. >> talk about the priorities in the latino community. >> the latino community is reflective of the priorities of the nation. covid is at the very top of our priorities. covid has been devastating for our community. >> so this is phoenix, right? >> reporter: in fact, covid and

the trump administration's handling of the pandemic have pushed hector sanchez's group, mi familia vota, normally a nonpartisan get out the vote organization, to cross the line and form basta trump, in english, "enough trump." >> we know this has to end and we're coming out in historical numbers. in early voting, 3 million latino voters early voting, in comparison to 1.4 latinos in 2016 at the same time. >> they say rome wasn't built in a day. as a chicano, i say, hey, they [ bleep ] hired the wrong people. >> reporter: another focus on the latino voting public, a work ethic that is a matter of pride. a pride that too often leads to poor medical care. >> calling in sick is not in our culture, especially if you're working by the hour or the day. >> no, especially when you can be replaced. >> reporter: as lopez jokes about in his comedy special on

netflix. >> we're not trying to live forever, we don't want to go to the doctor, we don't want to know if we're sick. we know. >> reporter: more than 25% of pandemic deaths are in the hispanic community. >> why is it, do you think, that hispanics are getting it more than other people? >> well, i think they're working closer quarters than anybody. they work more -- they're more condensed. they're there. and there's not a six-feet distance, i don't think. >> reporter: there were toilet paper shortages at the supermarket, but the field workers never stopped. strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes kept coming to the grocery stores. labor icon dolores juerte, who stood behind cesar chavez organizing farm workers unions, focuses on getting out the vote to protect the vulnerable. >> people think of farm workers as disposable, not really human, you can get rid of them. this is so wrong when you think of all of the insults and attacks on the latino community,

especially mexicans. i'm a mexican-american. this is our way, our nonviolent way, to get back at those that attacked us and say, we're not going to take it anymore. this is my vote, this is my power. >> my vote matters for the people who are in the fields or cleaning the hotels or getting up at 3:00 in the morning, going to work, working two jobs. we played baseball right here. if you hit it into the trees, it was a home run. >> reporter: that was years ago. most of lopez's home runs come on stage today. he's nearly 60, and like the rest of us, mostly confined to home. his foundation working to raise money for kidney transplants. he had his 15 years ago. urging latinos to prioritize their health. >> i just want people to take better care of themselves. don't take your health for granted. don't take any day for granted. don't take the science for granted. >> reporter: and a determition during this life-changing

election to stand up for his people, because if he says he's george lopez -- >> i love my community, i love latino people all over the world. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm jim avila in los angeles. >> our thanks to jim. coming up, politics during the pandemic. why covid-19 is pushing more latinos to the polls. does your deodorant protect you all day? we gave new dove men+care to mike who transforms homes for those in need. i feel comfortable and protected all day long. dove men+care 48h freshness with triple action moisturizer. now roomba vacuums exactly where you need it. alexa, tell roomba to vacuum in front of the couch. and offers personalized cleaning suggestions for a clean unique to you and your home. roomba and the irobot home app. only from irobot.

roomba and the irobot home app. it's following your passion to bto the very top... ...and setting the standard by which all who follow, will be measured. tequila herradura, the world's most gold medal awarded tequila.

a fan-favorite venue ever since they got gig-speed internet. xfinity gives them the ultimate home field advantage. it's their 12th man. protector... hey, amy? want to grab a seat? julie, we're live. it's game on with gig-speed internet from xfinity. start him, sit him, trade him. simple, easy, awesome. get started with xfinity internet for $19.99 a month for 12 months. plus, learn about gig-speeds from xfinity. click, call, or visit a store today.

it's following your passion to bto the very top... ...and setting the standard by which all who follow, will be measured. tequila herradura, the world's most gold medal awarded tequila. ♪ it's one of the most consequential presidential elections in our lifetimes, happening d ining during a globh

crisis, the pandemic highlighting a disturbing truth in america. the latino community, one of the most disproportionately affected groups of color. here's abc's victor oquendo on why they say they're fighting back by going to the polls. >> reporter: the sounds of the mariachi unmistakable. ♪ from the gold trumpets to the strumming guitaron. but today the music that so often marks life's joyful moments is playing at this funeral mass. >> we are here to say farewell to the loved ones although lost battles against covid-19. >> we act and decide to do it now in october because of the other deaths. >> reporter: the people here, a tight-knit community of mexican immigrants honoring loved ones that never received a proper good-bye. >> when they hear our notes and

our songs, our lyrics, you know, we want them to feel that they're in mexico, that they're there with their families, you know. connect them in some kind of way. >> reporter: their photos a reminder of lives cut short from a disease that has ravaged communities like this one. according to the cdc, latinos are dying at a disproportionately higher rate from covid-19. a recent analysis of more than 114,000 covid-related deaths between may and august found 24% were hispanic or latino, despite being only 18% of the u.s. population. lucero martinez felipe has waited six months. her mother paulo died three weeks after getting sick with covid-19. >> i miss her. i needed to find certain peace

in myself. i think today i was able to actually feel peace for the first time since the day of her passing. >> reporter: at the time, cases of the coronavirus growing exponentially in new york city, quickly becoming the epicenter of the global pandemic. >> health officials fearing another deadly wave on the way. >> here at nyu, covid testing sets have been set up for students. >> illinois breaking its own record of new cases. >> reporter: fast forward to a week before the 2020 presidential election. a profound transformation to our way of life. hospitals once again stretched to the limits in places like utah and wisconsin. the u.s. surpassing a staggering 8 million cases. one of them president donald trump. >> don't let it dominate you. don't be afraid of it. >> reporter: that message, after the president left walter reed medical center, was a gut punch for lucero. >> he's privileged. did every single person who lost

their lives receive the same treatment he did? they didn't. he had all these resources that none of us did. >> reporter: at least 220,000 lives have been lost. the numbers growing every day. the covid-19 outbreak becoming a top issue for latino voters. >> i think i always knew who i would not vote for. it definitely won't be for the one that just stood there and watched it happen and didn't do much to help us. >> reporter: dr. peter hotez, one of the world's leading experts on vaccines, growing more alarmed by the data. >> what we're seeing is really historic decimation among the hispanic community from this virus. >> reporter: from the rio grande valley to the big cities, a troubling pattern emerging throughout the nation. >> it's hitting hispanics in hare 40s, 50s, 60s. what that really means is it's robbing families for this whole generation of their mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters. >> reporter: for brothers isaiah and nathan garcia, it is their painful reality, losing both parents to the virus in houston

this summer, just two weeks apart. >> i didn't get to say good-bye to my mom or my dad now. and that's what hurts me the most right now. >> it's been really devastating. not only in terms of the number of people who are dying, but also affecting a much younger age group. >> reporter: elizabeth romero saw covid-19 sweep through her long beach community. >> i was like, we're strong, we're young, we're healthy, we can get through this. i never knew that it was going to take my husband away. >> reporter: lisbeth was on the phone with her husband, jose, who was in the hospital bed when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest. >> the machines just going off like crazy. 45 minutes i was on the phone. they tried 45 minutes to bring him back. and i'm like, no, not my husb d husband. >> reporter: her life and the lives of so many others shattered by covid-19. >> why are latino communities getting hit so hard by this

pandemic? >> we are essential workers, much more likely to be essential workers. we have to be out there in the pandemic. some of them have to take public transportation, there's no choice. also, many of us live in more crowded housing, places of higher social density. all those things are a major issue why latinos are of higher risk. >> reporter: this doctor, puerto rican nailive and chief of internal medicine at the miami health system, determined to help his community, leading one of the clinical trials for the johnson & johnson covid-19 vaccine and is calling for more diverse participants. >> we need more minorities, latino, african-american, to participate in these studies. we need to make sure these vaccines work on our people. >> reporter: he says health disparities among latinos are compounded by one's immigration status and lack of health care coverage. >> they would say -- [ speaking spanish ] which means, i didn't want to come, but i didn't want to die.

you see young persons with immigration issues who didn't want to come. they came in really sick with extremely low oxygenation status. you saw the fear in their eyes. >> reporter: homestead, florida, 40 miles south of miami's famous beaches and night life, where farm workers toil in extreme heat, harvesting food. >> this is the invisible workforce that uplifts the country, yet the country is not uplifting them. and we have to kind of start changing our mentality and thinking, you know, the farm workers that feed us, maybe they need to come first. they have to be the first in line to get the resources and the help that they need. >> reporter: the fear of bringing the virus home all too common for latino essential workers, many of whom live in multi-generational households. >> reporter: with the temperatures cooling, more families are expected to hunker down together indoors. the nation's top infectious

disease specialist, dr. anthony fauci, warning that the number of deaths could grow to 400,000 if precautions aren't taken this fall and winter. >> one of the biggest holidays for latinos, christmas eve. you're saying it should look different this year? >> look, my brother bought a house, all this stuff, now we don't know. how do you have nocha buy ena with a lot of people? especially if you have a lot of family, i don't want my mom to be in a social setting with a lot of people. that's not what i want. as hard as it is for us. >> our thanks to victo a lotta folks are asking me lately how to get their dishes as clean as possible. i tell them, you should try cascade platinum plus the power of oxi. cascade platinum + oxi breaks down food soils some detergents can leave behind, cleaning up to 99% of visible and invisible food residue then washing it away so it doesn't redeposit on your dishes.

and oxi is cascade's most powerful clean, formulated with no chlorine bleach. for a deep, hygienic clean you can see and feel cascade + the power of oxi. introducing new best foods drizzle sauce crave-worthy flavors you can drizzle, dip and dress to make home the best restaurant around new drizzle sauces from best foods we're on the side of food. your happy place. new drizzle sauces from best foods find your breaking point. then break it. every emergen-c gives you a potent blend of nutrients so you can emerge your best with emergen-c. ♪ when disaster strikes to one, we all get together and support each other. that's the nature of humanity. ♪

♪ no one thought that they were going to do this before it happened, and everyone just did it. i think that's the way that human nature should be looked at. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

...less is more. so, here's humira with a thinner needle. it's the same humira, with the same effectiveness you know and trust.

...but a thinner needle-... ...for a better injection experience. ask your doctor about transitioning to humira with a thinner needle- 3 out of 4 humira patients have already transitioned to humira with a thinner needle and you can pay as little as $5 a month with your co-pay card. humira can lower your ability to fight infections. serious and sometimes fatal infections, including,... ...tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems,... ...serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common... ...and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections,... ...or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. the same humira, with the same effectiveness, and a better experience. ask your doctor about transitioning to humira with a thinner needle. if you can't afford your medicine, abbvie may be able to help.

for more on the "abc news live" special "america's future: the power of the latino vote," go to abcnews.com. a reminder, election day next tuesday. for information how to cast your ballot, check out the how to vote page on fivethirtyeight.com. that's "nightline." see you back here tomorrow at the same time. thanks for staying up with us. good night, america.