Freshman Ohio Sen. JD Vance officially became Donald Trump's running mate for the November elections. While some questions have arisen about his ability to boost the GOP nominee among minorities, some party members are saying his candidacy will in fact will be beneficial in the search for the Latino vote.
Monica De La Cruz, a member of the House, representing Texas' 15th District is one of the Republicans that shares this belief.
In an interview with Noticias Telemundo's anchor, Julio Vaqueiro, the representative was asked how Vance would help her district as well as Latino voters.
"I think that Senator Vance is an excellent choice, and I do believe that he will connect with voters and move, specifically, Hispanics towards the Republican party, towards voting for President Trump," De La Cruz said. "The reason why, is because, number one, Hispanics tend to have larger families, but we are also the demographic that has the youngest people."
When it comes to age, Vance could relate to younger audiences. He is 39 years old and, if elected, he would become the youngest Vice President in the country's history.
However, despite decreasing support for the Biden administration, a growing body of literature shows Latinos are aligned with progressive issues. They believe in abortion rights, gun control and a pathway to citizenship for the longtime undocumented population, as well as a stop to climate change. These issues are contrast with Vance's views and agenda.
Nevertheless, Vance's background, which includes growing in poverty, having a mom who struggled with addiction and eventually making a name for himself in the business and political mainstream, according to his best-selling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," is a story that should resonate with Latinos, Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla. Believes.
She said that the Ohio senator is "the American dream" and that "he was able to escape poverty in a very difficult rural area in Ohio." Salazar said that Hispanics "can look up to him and say, "Well, if he did it, we can too."
Vance, although largely untested in national politics due to his short time serving in the Senate, is considered almost a natural heir to Trumpism, beginning as early as the next presidential election in 2028. He has become a fixture on the conservative media circuit and frequently spars with reporters on Capitol Hill, The Associated Press reports.
However, his candidacy has also brought some concerns about two white men leading the Republican party at a time when Trump has sought to energize Black and Latino voters.
In his post announcing the pick, Trump said Vance "will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond." Several of those Midwestern states are expected to play a critical role in November's election.
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