Latinos con Biden will place heavier focus on economy and healthcare over immigration, initiative chair says

NEW YORK CITY - Despite immigration being atop of the political conversation ahead of this year's elections, Latinos Con Biden, the President's initiative to appeal to the demographic's vote, will primarily focus on economic and health issues, according to initiative chair Rep. Veronica Escobar.

"What we're seeing in the conversations we're having across the country is that the economy is a priority for Latinos. Jobs and wages," the Representative told La Opinión in an interview.

Escobar joined the Biden-Harris reelection campaign earlier this year as co-chair to explain the key roles Latinos will play in the campaign.

Escobar highlighted that health issues are also particularly important for Latino voters due to issues present during the COVID-19 pandemic and the GOP's efforts to reduce access to healthcare and roll back reproductive rights, La Opinión reports.

"We know that Trump wants to take away our healthcare, we know that Donald Trump also [would affect] women's healthcare for pregnant women or those who want a family, he wants to take our rights as women," Escobar warned.

She also celebrated the Biden Administration's efforts regarding reproductive rights, including the creation of jobs for Latinos in that field.

"In the U.S. we are investing not only in jobs, but we are investing in healthcare and the safety of our families, to the people of this country that need help and... we want to do more of that in the next four years," the Texas representative said.

Escobar also focused on the importance of reaching prospective voters in battleground states.

Recent reports have shown Americans as becoming more broadly critical about a Biden-Trump rematch ahead of the November elections. Because of this, battleground states, some of which happen to be heavily-populated Latino territories such as Georgia and Arizona, have become a particularly attractive point for both parties.

"We're working on those states. We know this campaign, this election is going to be difficult," she said.

Aside from the Latinos Con Biden-Harris initiative, the Democratic campaign has also invested $30 million in a spring media buy, using a mix of Spanish-language accents as well as Spanglish, which tends to resonate with young Latino voters.

In April, President Biden algo gave a lengthy interview with Univision, a surprising move especially considering he has avoided doing so with other national news outlets. They have also placed ads on content heavily consumed by the groups such as ESPEN Deportes and LaLiga.

As per Republicans, despite promises of outreach events and initiatives targeted at Latinos, little evidence of progress has been done. From personal legal troubles to staffing issues, Trump's campaign has faced a tough patch in navigating the November election.

For instance, his campaign removed its point person for coalitions and has not announced a replacement. Similarly, the Republican Party's minority outreach offices across the country have been shuttered and replaced by other businesses. Meanwhile, campaign officials acknowledge they are not close to announcing new targeted plans, according to The Associated Press.