In a peculiar reversal of fate, now it appears that President Joe Biden’s once robust support from Hispanic and Latino voters, relative to his predecessor, Donald Trump, has hit a plateau. Charles Rodriguez, the head of the Puerto Rico Democrats, ironically admitted that Biden’s appeal amongst mainland residents of Puerto Rican origin, particularly in Florida, is waning post the June 27 debate against Trump. Similarly, Rep. Robert Garcia from California seemed to suggest that the Latino vote has now consolidated around the vice president, claiming she fares better than Biden across all states.
A memo from Equis Research shone a revealing light on Harris’s appeal with the Hispanic voters. She now leads Trump 56% to 37% among the registered Hispanic voters in the swing states. This contrasts with Biden’s slide from a once comfortable lead to a 5-point margin, which appears quite weak in comparison to his 2020 figures when he clinched 65% of the Hispanic and Latino votes. This could be an indicator of Harris’s chances at the White House, which largely depends on her campaign’s success in tapping into the key issues of the Latino voters in pivotal states, such as Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
Juan Acosta, a first-generation Mexican immigrant vocalized that ‘immigration policy’ is the burning issue for Latino voters. Acosta, who originates from California, boldly argued that numerous individuals have been disillusioned by the lack of progress in immigration laws providing Dreamers with a pathway to citizenship. He quickly added that people often overlook the complex nature of how the government functions. It’s not simply enough to have a president who supports these issues, but also vital to have the backing from the Senate and the House – a nuance often forgotten in the discourse about these hefty topics.
Venezuelan American, Rosana Arteaga-Lopenza, representing as the only Hispanic delegate from the Vermont delegation, places foreign policy at the forefront of her concerns. She emphasizes the ongoing regional humanitarian crisis however, also acknowledges economic stability as a priority. According to Arteaga-Lopenza, despite the efforts by Biden and VP Harris, there are multiple families nationwide who remain unaffected by progress. A situation that underscores the importance of keeping Democrats in power, to ensure the fruition of their ambitious policies.
Addressing the reporters at outside the Democratic National Convention’s labor council meeting, Gov. Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvania, who was also a potential running mate for Harris, stated that the Latino populace in his state have simple expectations. They aspire to have good education for their children, live in safe neighborhoods, seek economic opportunities, and desire a government that protects rather than curtails their freedoms. These sentiments, he insists, also resonate with most Pennsylvanians.
Harris’s campaign has already initiated attempts to woo this crucial voter demographic. One such move is the deployment of a Whatsapp group christened ‘Latinos con Harris-Walz’, specifically designed to attract Latino voters, considering more than half of Hispanic adults are avid users of the app. The campaign also saw the launch of a new advertisement focusing on Latino voters across various battleground states. The Spanish ad is part of a seven-figure media initiative underlining Harris’s efforts around border security throughout her political tenure.
In a press release announcing the ad, Harris-Walz Coalitions Media Director, Maca Casado, claimed that no one could surpass Vice President Harris when it comes to border-related issues. As the attorney general of a border state, she, Casado insists, took on the cartels, human traffickers, international gangs, and won. In her role as Vice President, she is purported to have kept families together while backing immigration reforms, and working shoulder-to-shoulder with Democrats and Republicans, which led to the framing of the robust border security bill in recent times – only for it to be derailed by Trump for political leverage.
While Harris attempts to weaponize her work on the border as a strength for her campaign, Republicans contend that she should be held accountable for the record increase in immigration during the Biden administration. A website sponsored by the Republican National Committee accuses Harris of indirectly fuelling the border crisis and establishes her as the architect of the ‘worst border crisis in U.S. history’ through her propagation of open-border policies. Trump and his allies particularly critiqued Harris for her efforts under the Biden administration to tackle the surge of migration from the Northern Triangle countries – El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Unaffected by this onslaught of Republican criticisms, Arteaga-Lopenza strongly believes that Republicans and the MAGA movement have barely given any credible attention to immigration. She lavishes praise on Harris’s role as the vice president, stating that Harris represents the optimism and struggle of every first-generation immigrant. Arteaga-Lopenza insists that Harris has successfully been able to connect with a forgotten community that previous administrations have overlooked.
In a similar vein, Acosta acclaimed Harris’s knack for reaching out to communities. He feels that Harris’s presence at the head of the ticket has revived the community spirit and flooded it with a sense of hope and joy, which the campaign stands for. It remains to be seen whether this ‘message of joy and hope’ will swing the election in her favor or if it is just a fleeting sentiment.
Unfazed by Harris’s allure with the Hispanic voters, Trump has also endeavored to woo them. He had interacted with Univision earlier this year where he expressed admiration for the entrepreneurial spirit of the Latino community. ‘The Latino vote is incredible’, said Trump, ‘They are remarkably skilled, energetic and very entrepreneurial – traits reflected even in the owners of Univision.’
Trump continued on, regarding the Latino community: ‘They are fantastic people showcasing commendable entrepreneurial spirit. And they do like me. As a Republican, I acknowledge we have substantial support from the Hispanic community. Whether you call them Hispanic, Latino, it doesn’t matter, they embody the same spirit and they are a truly incredible people.’ Here, Trump subtly tries to invoke a bond with the Hispanic community by lauding their entrepreneurial skills, a tried-and-true tactic employed by seasoned politicians.
The theme recurrent in this narrative is the stark contrast between Harris’s grassroot-oriented campaign efforts and the rather empty Republican rhetoric. Harris, on one hand, seems to be genuinely trying to connect with the Hispanic community, although the effectiveness of her efforts remains to be seen. On the other hand, Republican attempts at courting the Latino vote, especially Trump’s, verge on the superficial and shallow, lacking substantive engagement with their genuine concerns.
Arguably, the effectiveness of both campaigns’ respective strategies hinges on how well they align with what Hispanic voters genuinely want. Reiterating the insights of Gov. Josh Shapiro, the Hispanic community’s hopes and dreams don’t seem too far removed from those of most other Americans. Good education, safe living environments, economic opportunities, and the protection of their freedoms – these are the foundations upon which the American dream is built, regardless of one’s ethnic background.
It is no secret that the Hispanic and Latino voters play a significant role in transforming the political landscape. As such, bold actions that speak louder than words coupled with policies that directly address the needs of Hispanic and Latino voters are going to determine the sway of preference. The question remains – could Harris, being a child of immigrants herself, connect more deeply with this particular community? Or would Trump’s flattery over entrepreneurial spirit manage to win over more Latino voters?