Republican Presidential nominee and former US President, Donald Trump has held a round table with Latino leaders at his golf resort in Doral, Florida.
He told the Latino leaders that he expects Hispanic voters to help sweep him to victory on November 5, 2024.
Latinos are a voting bloc whose support is expected to be crucial to deciding the election, both in swing states and congressional districts that will determine which party controls the Senate and House of Representatives.
Trump kicked off the event by addressing the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, where he was campaigning yesterday. It was a “horrible event” he said, repeating debunked claims about the federal government’s emergency response. “FEMA responded not well, the White House has done a poor job. They should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.
He suggested the US would turn into “Venezuela on steroids” under a Harris administration, saying, “these people don’t love our country.”
Trump also commented on the leak of a US assessment of Israeli plans to strike Iran, blaming the Biden administration for it. “It was leaked by our somebody. That is the enemy from within,” he said.
The former President turned his attention, briefly, to immigration.
He repeated often-aired claims that foreign countries, especially Venezuela, were opening their prisons to send “violent gang members” and drug dealers into the US with military weapons. He called Kamala Harris “a stupid person” as he falsely labeled her Joe Biden’s “border czar.”
Ahead of the event, Miami’s Trump-supporting Republican Mayor, Francis Suarez, said in an interview that he does not believe the former President’s vows to carry out mass deportations and impose draconian policies against undocumented migrants will hurt his support with Hispanic voters.
He said that law-abiding Hispanics care more about having a prosperous future for themselves and their children than they do about people who are in the country illegally. “And so I think there’s a misperception that all they care about is, you know, immigration. And I think … that is, frankly, somewhat racist,” he stated.
“You know, I think Hispanics care more about making sure that they have an opportunity to succeed, making sure that inflation doesn’t crush them every single day as it’s done under this administration.
“And they’re law-abiding people, like my parents are, who came to this country at 12 and seven from – from Cuba, which is a communist country and has only produced misery and poverty for its people. And they see a lot of the same rhetoric being, unfortunately, espoused by the Democratic party and that’s something that concerns them.”
Francis Suarez
Trump has consistently gained ground among Latino voters, particularly men, building on gains he made in 2016 and 2020.
While Harris continues to lead Trump with that section of the electorate, a recent poll by NBC News and Telemundo showed Democrats’ advantage with Latino voters has declined to its lowest level in the past four presidential cycles.
Harris has tried to contain the loss of Latino votes, including by launching a “Hombres con Harris” (“Men with Harris”)
initiative and promising more economic opportunities for Latino men.
Both candidates also participated in town hall events with Univision, a US Spanish-language network.
Tight Schedule For Candidates
After the round table with Latino leaders in Florida, Trump will head to a rally in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Republican Vice Presidential candidate, JD Vance is in Arizona, where he will be campaigning in Peoria and Tucson.
On the other hand, Harris will be appearing in a primetime interview.
Her Vice Presidential candidate, Tim Walz will be hitting the road instead. Former President Barack Obama will campaign with Walz in Wisconsin, where early voting begins today.
President Joe Biden is also helping out. He will be in New Hampshire for an event highlighting progress in lowering prescription drug costs.
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