Former President Donald Trump held a rally in the Bronx, a Democratic stronghold, as he aims to make inroads with Hispanic and Black voters ahead of the election. This event took place as Trump faces 34 felony counts in his New York criminal hush money trial, where he has pleaded not guilty. Trump dedicated his remarks at the rally to criticizing President Joe Biden, particularly focusing on the impact of Biden’s border and economic policies on African American and Hispanic Americans. The rally was Trump’s first major campaign event in New York since 2016.
Factors such as Trump’s history in New York, his efforts to win over minority voters, and the proximity to his criminal trial influenced the decision to hold the rally in the Bronx. Trump has expressed optimism about winning New York in the fall, a state that has been a stronghold for Democrats for many years. In 2020, he narrowed the margin of defeat in the Bronx compared to the 2016 election, particularly in the South Bronx where the rally took place. Polls indicate that Trump may perform even better among Hispanic and Black voters this year than he did in 2020.
The Biden campaign launched ads highlighting what it calls Trump’s “long record of failures and broken promises” to Black Americans, citing instances of discrimination, perpetuating racist conspiracy theories, and supporting harsh policies. The Trump campaign dismissed these ads as an attempt to gaslight Black voters, pointing out Biden’s role in passing the 1994 Crime Bill that disproportionately impacted Black communities. House Republicans from New York who had planned to attend Trump’s event were unable to do so due to changes in the voting schedule.
Democratic representatives from the Bronx, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ritchie Torres, criticized Trump ahead of the rally, with Torres calling him “radioactive” in the Bronx. Trump’s outreach to minority voters coincides with his campaign’s focus on stoking fears about undocumented migrants and making false or misleading claims about immigration. Despite challenges and criticism, Trump’s efforts to attract Hispanic and Black voters seem to be gaining traction, with polling indicating a potential improvement in his support among these demographics compared to previous elections. The impact of these efforts on the election outcome remains to be seen.
