Hispanic Americans will overtake African Americans as the second largest demographic group in the 2020 presidential election. That is bad news for Democrats, who are convinced that they are entitled to these millions of minority voters. Democrats just cannot understand why so many Latinos, especially in important battleground states such as Florida, continue to line up firmly behind President Trump. The thought simply terrifies them.
Even more frightening for Democrats is the sheer ineffectiveness of their “minority outreach” strategy of extoling the virtues of illegal immigration and speaking in Spanish. As President Trump has pointed out, Hispanic Americans are certainly no more enamored with an unsecured border and illegal immigrants evading deportation orders than other Americans are. However, that is not how Democratic “minority outreach” works. It is all about bringing up the identity group in question then harping on some issues that focus group testing suggests are important. It is an awkward fit for Latinos who, contrary to the implications of Democratic messaging, are a highly diverse and mostly middle income sector of the population.
The old school strategy of race pandering is so toxic that even the leading Democratic candidate is wary of being associated with it. Joe Biden has been running from “minority outreach” in the Democratic mold as quickly as he can. He decided to skip out on a major liberal Hispanic conference that other Democratic candidates attended. Biden is trying desperately to present a “colorblind campaign” face, even going so far as to avoid using the words “Hispanic” and “Latino” in speeches. The strategy is backfiring.
Democrats are hopelessly wedded to identity politics, and Biden is getting nothing but backlash from the liberal base for not playing along. The left wing is accusing him of engaging in a “denial of the unique experience of being Latino in this country.” This predicament is a perfect illustration of the unwinnable corner Democrats have placed themselves into with their race pandering. If Biden caves to the identity activist corps of his party, he risks alienating moderates. If he does not, he risks alienating the radicals who will decide the Democratic nomination. Given his penchant for putting his foot in his mouth, the situation will likely get worse for him.
On the other hand, President Trump has not forgotten the vital role that Hispanic conservatives in Florida played in delivering his 2016 victory. That is why Miami is the natural place to kick off the Latinos for Trump coalition for his campaign. The coalition formally launches this week with an event featuring Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez, who will host Vice President Mike Pence and other senior administration officials.
Unlike Democrats, Republicans offer Hispanic voters in Florida and around the country real value. Trump has delivered on the issues that Latinos, like most Americans, actually care about. These are better job choices, more money in their pockets, and confidence in our national strength both at home and abroad. Latinos do not care whether Trump has met with liberal activists who want affirmation of their “experience” as a minority group in this country. They do care about what he has done to improve their lives.
Trump has been an ally of Hispanics beyond our borders as well. Whereas President Obama willing to reward and normalize relations with the Cuban communist government and turn a blind eye to the brutal pillaging of the Venezuelan people by Nicolas Maduro, Trump has taken a forceful stand against both of those repressive regimes, denying their illegitimate rulers critical access to the world markets and pledging American support for their citizens who are bravely struggling to take back their own freedom.
Democrats are right to be afraid. Trump could not possibly have secured the Republican nomination and the White House without the support of millions of Hispanic Americans. In 2020, with Florida once again at the center of the Electoral College fight, their support will be an even greater factor. As Trump takes them seriously, Democrats will be shocked to find how receptive Hispanic Americans will be to the message of the return of greatness, especially compared to the pandering of their own candidates.
Madison Gesiotto is an attorney and a commentator who serves with the advisory board of the Donald Trump campaign. She was an inauguration spokesperson and former Miss Ohio. She is on Twitter @MadisonGesiotto.