As Election Day nears, the Harris campaign is seeing a late-stage boost in support, particularly from battleground voters who have recently made their decision. This uptick is credited to backlash over comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's joke at a recent Trump rally, where Puerto Rico was derogatorily referred to as an "island of garbage." The campaign asserts that this negative response, coupled with former President Donald Trump's aggressive language in the final days of the campaign, has led to increased backing for Vice President Harris.
The controversy surrounding the Trump rally joke has sparked outrage among Latinos, prompting a surge in volunteer sign-ups for the Harris campaign across battleground states. High-profile Latino figures like Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez have publicly endorsed Harris, while Spanish-language newspapers and Latino organizations have voiced support for the vice president. The campaign's strategy includes leveraging this momentum from Puerto Rican voters, particularly in states like Pennsylvania with a significant Latino population.
In Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state with a sizable Latino community, the Latino vote is highly coveted in the tight race. Puerto Rican voters, who make up a substantial portion of the Latino electorate in the state, are being actively courted by the Harris campaign. The aftermath of the Trump rally joke has galvanized Puerto Rican voters like Sarah Michitsch, who highlighted how the incident motivated her to participate in campaign events and rally behind Harris.
The Trump campaign has attempted to address the fallout from the joke, with a senior adviser clarifying that the remarks were not endorsed and do not reflect the former president's views. Trump himself has tried to defend his record with Puerto Rico, citing his response to Hurricane Maria in 2017. However, his handling of the disaster, including the much-criticized paper towel incident and delayed aid distribution, remains a point of contention among Puerto Rican voters and critics. The Harris campaign, on the other hand, is actively engaging with Latino voters through targeted ads and extensive outreach efforts, emphasizing respect and recognition for the Puerto Rican community.