RNC opens office for Latino Trump supporters in Pennsylvania.
The Republican National Committee recently unveiled a new Latino Americans for Trump field office in Berks County, Pennsylvania, with key figures like former Governor of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuno and U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick on hand to connect with Hispanic voters on issues such as border security and inflation.
The office opening in Reading comes in the wake of the Trump campaign’s relaunch of its Hispanic coalition, dedicated to re-electing former President Trump this November. Originally founded as Latinos for Trump during the 2020 election, the campaign’s revival was announced prior to a Trump rally in Las Vegas that took place just last Sunday.
In the previous election, Trump narrowly lost the battleground state of Pennsylvania to President Biden by a slim margin of 1.17%. However, in Berks County, where the RNC field office has now opened its doors, Trump outperformed Biden by nearly 17,000 votes.
During the office opening ceremony, speakers ranging from politicians to local Pennsylvanians highlighted two main concerns — the economy and border security.
Luis Fortuno stressed the importance of electing Republicans at all levels of government in the upcoming election, urging Pennsylvanians in both English and Spanish to back U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick. Fortuno emphasized McCormick’s business acumen, emphasizing that he understands the financial pressures and challenges posed by inflation.
Speaking to reporters after his address at the opening event, McCormick expressed his commitment to earning the votes of all Pennsylvanians and recognized the opportunity to engage with the Latino community on shared policy priorities.
“Republican values are closely aligned with many in the Latino community,” McCormick explained. “These values revolve around the concept of fostering an economy and environment where individuals can pursue the American dream. Hardworking and driven by a desire to secure a better future for their children, these communities seek an economic landscape conducive to small business growth and job creation, as well as safe and thriving neighborhoods. I believe these principles resonate strongly with those of the Republican Party.”
The shifting landscape of political allegiances among Latino Americans in Pennsylvania is becoming more apparent. Regina Mauro, a candidate for District 157 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, echoed the sentiment that many Latinos feel let down by the Democratic Party and are gravitating towards the Republican Party.
Mauro discussed the trend of “Trumplicans,” minority voters who formerly identified with the Democratic Party but are now turning away from President Biden and embracing former President Trump’s platform.
One of the key factors driving this shift, according to Mauro, is the frustration felt by legal immigrants, including her own family who immigrated from Cuba. Many Hispanics take issue with Democratic policies that seem to prioritize foreign nationals crossing the border over those who have gone through the legal immigration process.
Heading into the election, Hispanic voters in Pennsylvania find themselves the focus of intense political attention, with campaigns from Trump, Biden, and even Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vying for their support. The Biden campaign established Latinos con Biden-Harris earlier this year to engage and mobilize Latino voters across the country.
Despite these efforts, former President Trump remains a consequential figure in the race, with a dedicated base of Latino supporters attracted to his platform’s promises of economic prosperity and national security.
While the Biden campaign has invested significantly in building a presence in Pennsylvania, with 24 offices and over a hundred staffers on the ground, Trump has made strategic visits to the state to endorse candidates like Dave McCormick, underlining the competitive nature of the race for Latino American voters.
Ultimately, as the 2024 election unfolds, the battle for Latino support in Pennsylvania serves as a microcosm of the larger political landscape, where shifting demographics and evolving policy priorities are reshaping the traditional alliances of American voters.
