(The Center Square) – Surrogates for the Harris-Walz campaign are joining Republicans in honing in on Arizona’s Hispanic voters amid lagging support from the traditionally Democratic voting bloc.
Over the weekend, Isabel Casillas Guzman, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, visited multiple towns in Arizona with Phoenix Councilwoman Laura Pastor, Arizona Corporation Commissioner Anna Tovar and former Democratic Party Chairwoman Raquel Terán.
The team held rallies mobilizing Hispanic voters to vote for the Harris-Walz ticket.
“Latinos in Arizona will be pivotal to the outcome of this election and the Harris-Walz campaign is meeting them where they are,” said Maca Casado, Hispanic media and coalitions media director for the Harris-Walz campaign. “Through ads in Spanish, a first-of-its-kind Latinos con Harris-Walz WhatsApp channel, a $3 million investment into Spanish-language radio for Hispanic Heritage Month alone, and daily outreach efforts, the campaign is not taking the Latino vote for granted.”
One of the topics being discussed to appeal to Arizona’s Hispanic voters are small businesses’ fiscal security. Raul Aguirre, who owns a small business in Tucson, said that he will be voting for the Harris-Walz campaign because of the attention they’ve given to small businesses.
“The Biden-Harris administration has taken the time to value our businesses,” Aguirre said. “I’m very glad that the Harris-Walz campaign is addressing these issues to be more understanding of our needs and respecting our population.”
Recent statements from Republican Hispanic small business owners have said that the increased levels of inflation under the Biden-Harris administration has negatively affected small business owners.
“Kamala Harris’ failed policies have crushed Hispanic communities across Arizona,” reads a statement from Jaime Florez, the Trump Campaign Hispanic communications director.
Aguirre said that he is “puzzled” by the fact that so many Hispanic Arizonans support the Trump campaign.
“I don’t understand why Latinos would support a person that is aiming to attack the very fabric of this very important group of Americans,” Aguirre said.
While a recent poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College show that more Arizona Hispanics are leaning towards the Harris-Walz ticket, they have yet to secure a solid majority traditionally seen as necessary to swing the state in their favor.
Polling suggests that 49% of Arizona’s Hispanic voters would vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and 31% say they would vote for former President Donald Trump.
While the presidential race will be tight among Hispanic voters, the Arizona U.S. Senate race seems to be more clear. According to the polling, 53% of Arizona’s Hispanic voters intend to vote for Democratic Candidate Ruben Gallego, while only 25% intend to vote for Republican Kari Lake.
Aguirre noted that he believes Gallego is more equipped to handle the Southern border crisis than Lake.
The Hispanic voting bloc in Arizona is believed to be crucial, and while Harris is leading among Arizona’s Hispanic voters, Trump has taken the lead overall in Arizona with 50% of voters saying they would vote for him compared to Harris’ 45% in the Times poll.
“Vice President Harris is a daughter of immigrants and has a track record of supporting Latino families and fighting for immigrant communities, including Dreamers,” Terán said. “This will be a close election, but Latina moms and their families can make the difference. Vice President Harris is a fighter for the people and she’ll fight for us as president, as she’s always done.”
