Democratic officials and community leaders in Pennsylvania are expressing concerns that Kamala Harris is not doing enough to engage Latino voters, warning that this lack of outreach could jeopardize her standing in the pivotal battleground state. Victor Martinez, a Spanish radio station owner who has appeared in pro-Harris ads, voiced his worries, stating that the campaign must improve its efforts to energize the Latino community and motivate them to vote.
Martinez noted that former President Donald Trump’s “macho” persona has become increasingly appealing to Latino men, creating a challenge for Harris in maintaining their support. “Trump has created a macho persona, a personality that is very attractive to the Latino man, and I can say this because I am a Latino man,” Martinez told Politico.
“At a recent reception in Philadelphia, multiple Latino leaders approached Harris staffers and campaign allies privately to deliver versions of that admonition, according to two people who attended the event and were granted anonymity to describe private conversations. And interviews with a dozen Latino Democratic elected officials and strategists in this key swing state reveal ongoing fears that Latino men, in particular, still aren’t on board with Harris.
The drift among Latino men to Trump shows up everywhere in public polling — as Democrats’ lead among Latino voters has deteriorated to its lowest levels in decades, part of a long-term trend for Democrats. That’s true in Nevada and Arizona, two highly diverse states where Harris faces problems with diminishing support among Latino voters. And Harris’ performance with Latino voters in Pennsylvania, home to about 580,000 registered Latino voters, could tip the entire election.
One Pennsylvania elected official granted anonymity to speak freely complained that “they need to be ramping up with the Latinos” even more in the closing weeks, while another Latino leader in the state, who attended the Hispanic reception earlier this month, said they were worried about “getting Latino men over whatever issues they have about electing a woman as president — that’s on a lot of people’s minds.”
While Harris still holds majority support among Latino voters in Pennsylvania and across the country, the declining margins are worrying for Democrats in a highly competitive race. A recent poll showed that Harris’ lead over Trump among Latino voters has shrunk to 19 percentage points, down from President Joe Biden’s 26-point margin in 2020.
Economic issues, such as rising grocery and gas prices under the Biden-Harris administration, are fueling this shift toward Trump, particularly among Latino men who view the economy as a top concern.
Democratic strategists have warned that failing to secure strong Latino turnout in key states like Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Arizona could critically damage Harris’ chances in the 2024 election.
They seeded this years ago & did nothing esp if warned