Former President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in the Bronx, a predominantly Democratic county in New York City, despite historically low Republican support in the area. Trump's visit to the Bronx, a county with a 64% Hispanic population, is seen as an attempt to make inroads with minority voters ahead of the 2024 election.
While Trump's rally drew a sizable audience, it was noted that the crowd lacked diversity compared to the demographics of the Bronx. Congressman Richie Torres, a Bronx Democrat, expressed confidence that the Bronx would overwhelmingly vote Democratic, citing President Biden's policies that have benefited the community, such as affordable insulin for seniors on Medicare.
Regarding the economic challenges faced by Bronx residents, including high poverty rates and inflation, Congressman Torres emphasized the need for President Biden to communicate his successes effectively to address these issues. He highlighted Biden's job creation and efforts to lower drug prices as policies that have positively impacted Bronx residents.
When discussing the Latino vote, Congressman Torres noted that the Latino community is diverse and not a monolith, with varying political preferences based on factors like nationality and region. Despite polls showing a close race between Biden and Trump among Latino voters, Torres expressed confidence that the Bronx community would overwhelmingly support Biden in the upcoming election.
While acknowledging the importance of not taking any county or state for granted in the election, Congressman Torres advocated for a 50-state strategy and welcomed President Biden to visit the Bronx to engage with the community directly.