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u.s. news Diaranson 16 september 2020

Biden courts Latino voters in 1st trip to Florida as nominee

(AP) — Joe Biden made available to measure the opin-
his first trip to Florida as ions of Latino voters this year
the Democratic presidential and whether they differ from
nominee on Tuesday with four years ago. But Demo-
an urgent mission to boost crats aren't taking chances.
support among Latinos who Billionaire Mike Bloomberg
could decide the election in has pledged to spend at least
one of the nation's fiercest $100 million to defeat Trump
battleground states. in Florida.
And by spending his day
Biden opened the visit in along the Interstate 4 corri-
Tampa holding a roundtable dor, Biden is devoting time
with veterans in which he to one of the most critical
tore into President Donald regions of the state. While
Trump for reported remarks Republicans typically post
criticizing the military. He big numbers in the north-
heads to Kissimmee, near ern and southwestern parts
Orlando, later to mark His- of the state and Democrats
panic Heritage Month. A win are strong in coastal cities,
for Biden in Florida would campaigns typically battle it
dramatically narrow Trump’s out for every vote in central
path to reelection. But in a Florida.
state where elections are of-
ten decided by a percentage The veterans event was
point, there are mounting aimed at pushing a potential
concerns that Biden may be opening with military vot- have fallen,” Biden said. Trump likes to say he passed Republican, accused Biden
slipping, particularly with ers, who broadly supported Speaking of his late son Beau, VA Choice, but just like ev- of trying to “feign interest
the state’s influential Latino Trump in 2016 but are seen who served overseas as a Del- erything else he seems to say, in the Hispanic commu-
voters. An NBC-Marist poll as potentially persuadable aware Army National Guard it’s a figment of his imagina- nity” after “neglecting us.”
released last week found La- because of controversial re- member and later died from a tion or a flat-out lie,” he said, She said a Biden presidency
tinos in the state about evenly marks the president report- brain tumor, the former vice referencing a program passed would, among other things,
divided between Biden and edly made mocking Ameri- president said, “He’s gone under the Obama adminis- appease and enrich Cuba's
Trump. Democrat Hillary can war dead as “losers” and now, but he’s no sucker.” tration that steers more pa- leadership at the expense of
Clinton led Trump by a 59% “suckers.” Trump has denied tients to the private sector. the people. Some foreign
to 36% margin among Lati- making the remarks, first re- Biden spoke about his experi- Biden's decision to celebrate policy analysts, however, say
nos in the same poll in 2016 ported through anonymous ence as vice president escort- Hispanic Heritage Month in the Trump administration's
— and Trump won Florida sources by The Atlantic, but ing military caskets home and Kissimmee reflects a focus tough economic restrictions
by about 1 percentage point. many of the comments were working on military issues, on the state's rapidly growing on Cuba only contribute to
later confirmed by The Asso- and about his own commit- Puerto Rican community. the oppression of the Cuban
Hispanic voters in Florida ciated Press. ments to strengthen the De- Many Puerto Ricans relocat- people.
tend to be somewhat more “Nowhere are his faults more partment of Veterans Affairs ed to Florida after Hurricane
Republican-leaning than glaring and more offensive, and tackle the mental health Maria devastated the island Biden, who hasn't been to
Hispanic voters nationwide to me at least, than when it crisis among veterans. And and U.S. territory in 2017. Florida since last October,
because of the state’s Cuban comes to his denigration of he attacked Trump for what The campaign announced a has struggled with Latinos in
American population. Na- our service members, veter- he said were failed prom- new plan Tuesday focused on part because of the record-
tionally, little public polling is ans, wounded warriors who ises to veterans. “President boosting Puerto Rico’s econ- setting number of deporta-
omy and helping the island tions when President Barack
continue to recover from Obama was in the White
Maria. Biden would create House. Biden has apologized
a federal working group fo- for that policy.
cused on aiding Puerto Rico But unlike his Democratic
in rebuilding and would for- rival Bernie Sanders, who
give disaster relief loans to used strong support among
Puerto Rican towns, expand Latinos to notch key primary
a food stamp program to victories in Nevada and Cali-
residents of the island, invest fornia, Biden has refused to
in Puerto Rico’s power and adopt the most liberal posi-
schooling infrastructure and tions in his party — espe-
health care services, and help cially when it comes to call-
alleviate the territory’s mas- ing for decriminalizing illegal
sive debt load. crossings of the U.S.-Mexico
border and halting all depor-
Biden has not, however, tations indefinitely. He sup-
taken a stance on whether ports a 100-day moratorium
Puerto Rico should be given on deportations.
statehood.
Puerto Ricans may be more As for Trump, despite many
open to Biden than Cuban of his anti-immigration poli-
Americans concentrated in cies, some Latino voters have
Miami, who are attuned to responded positively to the
Trump's message that the president's embrace of reli-
Democratic ticket would em- gious conservative positions
brace socialism. and his warnings of protest-
Indeed, surrogates for the related violence and social-
Trump campaign focused on ism. Trump also frequently
Cuban immigrants during a visits his Mar-a-Lago resort
call with reporters. Florida in Florida, and the president
Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, a votes absentee in the state.