As Donald Trump aims to strengthen his support among Latino voters ahead of the 2024 presidential elections, his campaign opened a new outreach office in Reading, the city with the highest percentage of Latinos in Pennsylvania.
The event featured prominent local Republicans, including Berks County Commissioner Michael Rivera, Republican U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick and former governor of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuño.
"Latinos represent an increasingly important voting bloc whose support can significantly impact election outcomes," Berks County Commissioner Michael Rivera said. "We're not only an economic powerhouse, we are also a political powerhouse."
The speakers addressed key policy areas such as inflation, border security, crime, and education, pinning the blame of current woes on the Biden administration. Pennsylvania Republican Party Vice Chair Bernie Comfort questioned the audience on whether they were better off now than four years ago, receiving a resounding negative response. Comfort emphasized the importance of securing every vote for Trump's campaign.
According to 2020 Census data, Reading has a 69% Hispanic population, the highest in Pennsylvania. The city's large Latino community is part of what some refer to as Pennsylvania's "Latino Belt," which also includes Hazleton and Allentown.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to engage with Latinos which was rebranded just a few days ago to Latino Americans for Trump at a Las Vegas Rally. The change, which leaves behind "Latinos for Trump" seeks to convey that Latinos are Americans, Hispanic communications director for the Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign Jaime Florez told NBC News.
Polling data indicates that while Biden had strong support from Latino voters in Pennsylvania in 2020, his lead has diminished. An NBC News poll in April showed Biden with 49% support among Latino voters nationwide, compared to 39% for Trump. In Pennsylvania, Latinos make up about 7.5% of the voting population, with a significant portion expected to vote in their first presidential election in 2024.
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