President Joe Biden is making a concerted effort to court Latino voters and reinvigorate his diverse coalition as he embarks on a critical campaign swing through the Western battleground states of Nevada and Arizona. During a fundraising event in Phoenix on Tuesday, Biden emphasized the importance of Latino voters in his 2020 victory over former President Donald Trump, stating, "You're the reason why, in large part, I beat Donald Trump. I need you badly."
The president drew a sharp contrast between himself and Trump on issues of immigration and values, pointing to the former president's controversial comments about Latino immigrants, including his recent remarks that immigrants are "poisoning the blood" of America and that some undocumented immigrants are "not people." Biden countered these statements, saying, "He only cares about the wealthy."
To further demonstrate his commitment to the Latino community, Biden highlighted the presence of Latino members in his administration, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. The focus on Latino voters coincides with the launch of the Biden campaign's "Latinos con Biden-Harris" initiative, a national program designed to engage, train, and mobilize Latino supporters through a series of events.
Biden's campaign strategy in Nevada and Arizona centers on targeting Trump on key issues like immigration, defending democracy, abortion rights, and unions. Despite early polling indicating a challenging path to victory in these states, with Trump holding slight leads, the campaign believes that issues such as reproductive rights and democracy arguments could work in their favor, especially with moderate voters.
During his visit to Nevada, Biden unveiled his plan to combat rising housing costs, calling on Congress to pass legislation that would help first-time homebuyers and improve affordability for renters. The president outlined his proposals, which include a mortgage relief credit for middle-class, first-time homebuyers, tax credits, and a competitive grant fund to build more affordable housing. For renters, Biden is pushing for measures to fight rent gouging by corporate landlords, crack down on rental fees, and expand housing-choice vouchers.
"Folks are tired of being played for suckers, and I'm tired of letting them be played for suckers," Biden said to applause in Las Vegas.
The Biden campaign's month of action, which began with a successful State of the Union address, has seen the president travel to several battleground states, including Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The campaign is also scaling up its battleground operation, with plans to expand its brick-and-mortar presence with more than 100 new offices and 350 new team members, including 40 across Nevada and Arizona.
In a pair of interviews with Spanish-language outlets that aired Tuesday, Biden blasted Trump's remarks about migrants and Latinos, stating, "This guy (Trump) despises Latinos - I understand Latino values. You know - we just celebrated St. Patrick's Day, I hope you're not offended by me saying this, but you know, the thing about the Irish that came here, they're about family, they're about faith, they're about decency, and that's exactly what the Latino community is all about."
The president's Western swing also includes fundraisers in Dallas and Houston, following the campaign's announcement that it raised $53 million in February, a sign of increasing donor interest as Biden maintains a significant cash advantage over Trump.
