Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump view economic policy as crucial in their efforts to attract Latino voters, although their strategies significantly differ. In a recent interview with Telemundo, Harris plans to emphasize her economic agenda, which aims to create more opportunities for Latino men. This strategy is based on insights gathered from multiple focus groups and polling data.
The Democratic nominee intends to highlight her proposal to double the number of registered apprenticeships. She aims to eliminate college degree requirements for specific federal jobs and encourages private companies to consider similar changes. Additionally, Harris wants to provide up to $20,000 in forgivable loans to one million small businesses, which she believes will directly benefit the Latino community.
On the other hand, Trump is reaching out to Latino voters through a roundtable event in Doral, a suburb of Miami. His campaign argues that during his presidency, employment, wages, and homeownership improved for Latinos. They also plan to criticize Harris and President Biden for the current high inflation levels, asserting that “Trump is the only candidate who can restore prosperity in America.”
Both the Harris and Trump campaigns are targeting Latino men, seeing them as pivotal voters who could influence the outcomes in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada. Trump believes he has made strides among Latino men, while Harris’s team is focused on solidifying support within the same demographic as the election approaches.
This situation raises the question of whether voters will be more motivated by memories of the Trump administration or by the promise of new policies introduced by Harris. According to Matt Barreto, a pollster for the Harris campaign, there is significant confidence that their policies will resonate with Latino men, focusing on themes of success and the realization of the American dream.
As the campaigns enter the final stretch, both candidates are striving to capture the attention of an increasingly diverse electorate. Harris has also been reaching out to Black men by proposing similar small business loans, while she has appeared on younger-targeted platforms, such as the podcast “Call Her Daddy.” Meanwhile, Trump has engaged with younger voters through various podcasts as well.
Last week, Trump participated in a town hall on Univision, where he emphasized the strong economy during his presidency. He stated, “We had the greatest economy in the history of our country. Now we have a lousy economy primarily because of inflation. So we’re going to get rid of the inflation.” However, his narrative often omits the significant job losses and economic downturn that occurred during the 2020 pandemic.
While current inflation is relatively low at 2.4%, the aftermath of soaring inflation in mid-2022, which peaked at 9.1%, still weighs heavily on voters’ minds. In his remarks on Univision, Trump suggested that increasing oil production would help lower inflation, indicating his belief in combining tariff adjustments and tax cuts as a means to stimulate growth, despite lacking comprehensive details compared to Harris’s policy proposals.
In a close electoral race, the Harris campaign believes that Latino men will become increasingly interested in the specifics of policy as the election date draws nearer. According to information gleaned from focus groups, Harris’s team discovered a strong interest among Latino men for access to apprenticeships that facilitate entry into stable careers without requiring college degrees.
Recent Labor Department statistics reveal there are currently 641,044 registered apprenticeships, a noticeable rise since the peak of 569,311 during the Trump administration. Harris’s ambitious plan to double that figure would aim for roughly 1.2 million apprenticeships over the next four years. Furthermore, Latino men have expressed a keen interest in gaining access to capital and credit to launch businesses, as a recent Treasury Department report highlighted a 40% increase in Latino business ownership compared to pre-pandemic levels, a trend that could accelerate with improved financing options.
In the coming week, Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, will appear on Univision’s El Bueno, La Mala, y El Feo, while Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, will be featured on Univision’s El Free-Guey Show. Emhoff is also scheduled for an interview with Alex “El Genio” Lucas on Nueva Network Radio.
As Trump continues his outreach, he aims to assure Latino voters of their shared values in entrepreneurship, despite his controversial stance on mass deportation policies. He remarked at an event, “Hispanic people—while you can’t generalize, they have phenomenal entrepreneurial spirit and energy. Just ease up a little bit, OK? Ease up. You have great ambition, and you truly are natural entrepreneurs.”