As the 2024 presidential election enters its final weeks, both President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are making concerted efforts to appeal to Latino voters. This crucial voting bloc, totaling 36 million eligible voters, could significantly sway the outcome in key battleground states.
Trump Holds “Roundtable” with Loyal Supporters
On Tuesday, Trump hosted what was billed as a roundtable discussion with Latino leaders at his Doral golf club in Miami. However, the event turned out to be a series of adulatory monologues from some of the former president’s most dedicated Latino supporters, interspersed with Trump’s signature rants about his grievances and attacks on opponents.
Trump made baseless claims about supposedly leading Harris in polls among Latino voters, contrary to significant evidence otherwise. He also repeated debunked assertions that foreign countries, especially Venezuela, are sending criminals and gang members into the US.
“We gave you the biggest cut in taxes in the history of the country,” Trump told the business leaders present. “We have a great foundation to build on so we have a lot of companies coming in very fast.”
Trump took no questions from the press at the event, avoiding a repeat of last week’s misfire at a Univision town hall where he dodged immigration questions and made bizarre claims about Haitians in Ohio eating pets.
Goya Foods President Heaps Praise
Robert Unanue, president of Goya Foods and a vocal Trump cheerleader, delivered an effusive speech praising the former president’s “courage” and “fight.” Other business figures like fast-food franchise owner Joel Garza also heaped adulation, saying Trump needed to be re-elected to “help us with banks [and] stop regulations.”
The event concluded with religious leaders surrounding Trump and praying for his victory, with one predicting he would defeat Harris because “there’s a higher assignment for him to finish with this nation.”
Harris Promises Targeted Economic Policies
Meanwhile, in a Telemundo interview on Tuesday, Harris emphasized economic issues, saying she would work to bring more funds to community banks to help Latino men secure small business loans.
“We need to construct a strong economy that supports the working class,” Harris said. “I know that Hispanic men often have more difficulty securing loans from banks because of their connections and the fact that things aren’t necessarily set up so that they will qualify.”
The vice president pledged to double the number of registered apprenticeships, remove college degree requirements for certain federal jobs, and provide forgivable loans up to $20,000 each to a million small businesses.
Contrasting Approaches in Wooing Latino Vote
The dual events highlighted the divergent strategies of the Trump and Harris campaigns in courting the Latino electorate. While Trump is relying on memories of his presidency and the enthusiasm of his most fervent supporters, Harris is attempting to woo voters with the promise of targeted policies aimed at their economic concerns.
Recent polling suggests Trump may be gaining ground among Latinos, with the Democratic edge at its lowest in four election cycles. However, Harris still leads Trump in key battlegrounds and by a 56-31 margin nationally among eligible Latino voters, according to major polls.
With the election just two weeks away, the candidates’ ability to energize and persuade this vital segment of the electorate in the home stretch could prove decisive. Latino voters turned out in record numbers in 2020 and were pivotal in flipping Arizona and Georgia to the Democrats. A repeat of that performance would bode well for Harris, while Trump is hoping his populist appeal and slight gains can put him over the top this time.
As the nation hurtles toward November 5th, all eyes will be on how Latino voters ultimately break between the two candidates. In an election as tight as this one, even small shifts among this diverse and growing demographic could alter the trajectory of American politics for the next four years and beyond.
