ALLENTOWN, Pa. — As dawn broke over Pennsylvania’s former steel region, Victor Martinez prepared to connect with his audience of Spanish-speaking listeners from his home beside two radio towers. He opened his show with a powerful message: “Señores, abran los ojos,” which translates to “Gentlemen, open your eyes.” Martinez had just aired an interview in which former President Donald Trump proposed using the military to handle opposition ahead of the upcoming elections. “Three weeks before Election Day, this guy has the nerve to say that we should use the army to put what he calls ‘crazy liberal Democrats’ in prison,” he remarked.
Pennsylvania stands as a pivotal battleground, particularly with its rapidly expanding Hispanic population along the 222 Corridor, which links various small towns and cities west and north of Philadelphia. This demographic growth creates a crucial testing ground for both Democratic and Republican parties, as the competition for the state’s 20 electoral votes intensifies. For Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, this is an opportunity to showcase her party’s strength among Latino voters, while Trump’s campaign seeks to make inroads.
“This is the epicenter for Latino voters in Pennsylvania,” exclaimed Martinez, who, of Puerto Rican heritage, broadcasts from Allentown. He expressed satisfaction that prominent political figures, including Harris and JD Vance, feel the necessity to engage with the Latino community. “It means they have to pay attention to us,” he added.
Since the year 2000, the eligible Latino voter demographic in Pennsylvania has surged from 208,000 to 579,000, according to the Latino Data Hub of UCLA’s Latino Policy & Politics Institute. In cities like Allentown and Reading, the Hispanic population exceeds 50%, predominantly comprising Puerto Ricans alongside a significant Dominican presence.
Martinez enhances his outreach through streaming platforms like YouTube and Facebook, utilizing a compelling backdrop of the White House for his political discussions, which have achieved the highest ratings on his four-hour radio program. Though he openly criticizes Trump, his primary aim is to galvanize Latino voters to become an influential voting bloc, similar to the Cuban community in Florida, where he used to reside. Martinez expressed admiration for figures like former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio, both of whom are Republicans.
“I don’t want politicians to think that they have us in the bag. No, they should be fighting for us,” he insisted. Drawing from his Florida experience, he stressed the importance of voting power cultivated by the Cuban community in South Florida.
As of now, nearly half of the requested mail and absentee ballots in Pennsylvania have already been returned, with a striking 63% from Democrats and 27% from Republicans, according to recent election research. Historically, Democrats have been more inclined to vote by mail, whereas Republicans often prefer casting their ballots in person on Election Day. The trend remains evident in counties with sizable Hispanic populations, with Democrats dominating returned absentee ballots in Lehigh and Berks counties.
In response to the growing Latino electorate, the Trump campaign has initiated a Latino outreach office in the area, garnering endorsements from popular Puerto Rican musicians such as Anuel AA and Nicky Jam. “President Trump has always been about trying to influence Latino populations. He appreciates our work and sees our potential,” remarked Marcela Diaz-Myers, a Colombian immigrant leading the Pennsylvania GOP’s Hispanic outreach task force.
In the preceding elections, Trump lost Pennsylvania to Joe Biden, having won there in 2016. Approximately 60% of Hispanic voters nationally supported Biden in 2020, according to extensive electoral surveys. Harris’ campaign is strategically deploying a network of surrogates, including Martinez and influential Latino figures, to maintain Biden’s lead among Latino voters and to counteract Trump’s efforts.
Matt Tuerk, the mayor of Allentown, actively campaigns for Harris and reports a strong resonance with older Latino voters, particularly women who express their support by saying, “I will vote for ‘la mujer’,” or “the woman.” However, Tuerk also notes that the Trump campaign is making significant inroads with younger Latino men, repeating a cautionary message related to Trump’s ads being played in local barbershops where Dominican music is popular.
Among Trump’s prominent Hispanic supporters is Robert Unanue, CEO of Goya, known for its Latino staple products. Unanue has reached out to Latino voters in states like Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina. He articulated that some Latinos oppose high rates of immigration, stemming from their own struggles to achieve legal status and citizenship, suggesting skepticism about Trump’s proposed mass deportation operations.
“Trump is not going to deport la tia, or la sobrina or la prima,” Unanue asserted, ensuring that concerns are directed towards criminals and those deemed unproductive.
In a neighborhood rich with Latino-owned businesses along Seventh Street, known locally as Calle Siete, support for Harris is palpable. Franklin Encarnacion, a Dominican, recognizes Harris’s understanding of the community’s needs amid increasing living costs, contrasting her approach with Trump’s focus on deportation.
Conversely, some, like Miguel Cleto, a Dominican pastor, criticize Democrats for their management of immigration and social issues. “Donald Trump is the only solution for this country to go back to where it was,” he declared, reflecting the diverse and complex opinions among Latino voters in this increasingly critical swing state.