On Tuesday, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris cited economic policies as their best opportunity to win over Latino voters. However, they take quite different approaches.
Vice President Harris will discuss how her agenda will increase possibilities for Latino men in an appearance with Telemundo on Tuesday afternoon. This approach was developed based on about a dozen focus groups and polling.
The Democratic candidate pledges to quadruple the number of apprenticeships that are registered. She wants to emphasize how she would urge private firms to follow suit by eliminating the need for a college degree for some federal government jobs. Additionally, Harris wants to give one million small companies forgiving loans up to $20,000.
The Republican nominee, former President Trump, hosted a roundtable with Latinos in the Miami neighborhood of Doral on Tuesday as part of his own outreach to the community. Trump, surrounded by Latino business executives and elected figures, praised his administration’s economy, claiming it was better for the Hispanic community than the Biden administration.
If Latino men’s long-standing support for Democrats wanes, they might change the outcome in states like Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada, giving the Trump and Harris campaigns what could be a game-changing opportunity. Trump thinks he has gained favor with Latino men. With the election barely two weeks away, Harris’ team is trying to strengthen support within the same demographic.
The race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton is a closely contested one, with both campaigns vying for the attention of Latino voters. The Harris campaign has focused on Black men, offering forgivable loans for small businesses, and targeting younger women through podcasts. Trump has also appeared on podcasts to appeal to younger men.
At the Latino roundtable, Trump complimented Goya Foods, whose CEO, Bob Unanue, is a vocal supporter of the former president. He also disparaged Harris, stating that she was “lazy” and “lack of public events.”
The Harris campaign is betting that Latino men are becoming more attuned to policy specifics as the election draws closer. The Labor Department figures show an increase in registered apprenticeships from the Trump administration, with the total number of apprenticeships expected to reach roughly 1.2 million over four years. Latino men also expressed a need for access to capital and credit to start companies, as Latino business ownership is up 40% over pre-pandemic levels and could continue to climb with better financing options.
Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will be on Univision’s El Bueno, La Mala, y El Feo, while Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, will be interviewed by Univision’s El Free-Guey Show. Trump hopes to convince Latinos that they can trust fellow businessmen like himself, even as he has called for the mass deportation of immigrants in the country illegally.
In conclusion, both campaigns are competing for the attention of Latino voters, with the Harris campaign focusing on policy specifics and Trump aiming to convince them of their potential as entrepreneurs.
(AP)
