In the battleground state of Florida, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is only ahead of President Trump by an average of 1.2 percentage points, according to RealClearPolitics, so he’s looking to shore up support wherever he can get it, especially among Hispanic voters.
During a campaign stop in Broward College near Miami this week, Biden told the crowd that President Trump “doesn’t care about Cuban and Venezuelan people.”
“Folks, it is unconscionable that the Trump administration, that says they care so much, are deporting hundreds of Cubans and Venezuelans back to their dictatorships,” he said. “Trump loves to talk, but he doesn’t care about Cuban and Venezuelan people. He won’t even grant temporary protective status for Venezuelans fleeing the oppressive regime of Maduro, who I have met, and he is a thug. Folks, I will, but we have to vote.”
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) October 29, 2020
Recent polls among Cuban Americans suggest otherwise, however. Earlier this month, a Florida International University poll found 59 percent of South Florida Cuban Americans will be backing President Trump this election. A state poll from Telemundo published Thursday found similar results.
Latinos will be the largest ethnic or racial minority group in the 2020 election, with 32 million eligible to vote. Florida, which has 29 electoral votes, is considered vital to Trump's reelection bid and a loss there would be a huge blow.
But Biden is foundering with Cuban voters, a key Latino voting bloc in the state. According to the poll, Trump holds almost a 50 percentage point lead over Biden, 71% to 23% among Cuban voters.
However, Biden is leading among another big Latino voting bloc in the state: Puerto Rican voters, where Biden leads Trump, 66% to 23%.
Cuban voters make up the largest Hispanic eligible voter population in Florida at 29%, followed by Puerto Rican voters at 27%, according to Pew Research. (USA Today)
Enthusiasm for President Trump in South Florida is being observed in more than just polls.
Trump caravan over 10 miles long. Miami, FL 10-18-20. Cubans for Trump! Miamians for Trump! @realDonaldTrump @DiamondandSilk @IvankaTrump @VP @nypost @wsvn @MiamiHerald pic.twitter.com/4h2yVMtclj
— Airline Fire (@AirlineFire) October 25, 2020
THOUSANDS of Hispanics gathered in Miami today for an anti-socialism caravan and concert in support of President @realDonaldTrump.
— rick (@rick57777123) October 22, 2020
Latino enthusiasm for President Trump is very real—and it is growing! pic.twitter.com/Kl4N8FLUms
We had a bigger caravan rally for Trump in Miami, FL without Trump even having to show up ?? pic.twitter.com/MU56c23jHa
— ????LATINOS FOR AMERICA???? (@VoteDemOutFL) October 21, 2020
10/11/2020: Thousands of Cubans and 'Latinos for Trump' hold a massive anti-communist caravan in Miami to 'liberate the US from socialist ideology.’ Various reports estimate somewhere between 20,000 to 30,000 cars in attendance for the caravan!https://t.co/3NMr87jndS
— Roger Koo (@RKPCService) October 12, 2020
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