In the midst of what appears to be a contested battle to win Pennsylvania in November, Latino outreach becomes a priority for Biden’s reelection campaign.
On Saturday morning, staff from President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign convened members of the media, volunteers, elected officials, and community leaders to inaugurate their Philadelphia office officially. The office, located in a Center City building blocks away from City Hall, will serve as the campaign headquarters for Philadelphia. This is one of 14 offices in the state, all inaugurated in late March and culminating with Saturday’s event.
In what pundits predict will be a crucial state in November’s presidential election, the campaign’s number of offices signifies its commitment to driving voter turnout this Fall in Pennsylvania. In 2020, during the last presidential election, Biden won Pennsylvania by a slim margin of 80,000 votes, far lower than the number of Latinos in the state eligible to vote. The Democratic Party wants to increase that margin come November.
The event showcased top state and local leadership and campaign operatives. Joanna McClinton, Speaker of the PA House, Congressmembers Dwight Evans and Mary Gay Scanlon, State Senator Sharif Street, State Representatives Danilo Burgos and Malcolm Kenyatta, and Councilmembers Issaih Thomas, Jeffery Young, Jr., and Nina Ahmad were among those in attendance.
Julie Chávez, National Campaign Manager, was ushered in with applause and cheers. The granddaughter of labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chávez transitioned into this role after serving as Senior Advisor to President Biden, where she was the highest-ranking Latina in the White House. She highlighted the accomplishments of Biden’s administration and underscored their presence in the state compared to Biden’s opponent, former President Donald Trump.
Chávez later told Impacto: “It’s so great to be here in Philadelphia for a headquarters office opening. We know how critical it’s going to be to organize across our communities, especially across the Latino community. Together, we will win in November.” She has been part of the recent wave of office openings in the state, which started in Pittsburgh on March 23.
State Representative Danilo Burgos, one of the few Latinos in the Pennsylvania State Assembly, also spoke with Impacto, stating in Spanish: “I’m supporting the President as a Latino. Many people have left their home countries due to socialism. They have arrived in the U.S. and are building a new home. This is their new home, and here we have the opportunity to defend democracy, that the U.S. doesn’t convert into a communist country.”
State Senator Shariff Street was keen to address the need to get out the vote, especially for minorities in the City. “They’re banking on us not showing up,” he said. “The math doesn’t match for them if Philadelphia shows up. So we are committed to making sure that Philadelphia shows up because we’re Philadelphia, and we fight.”
The campaign has already begun outreach efforts in the Latino community. Earlier in March, Councilmember Quetcy Lozada hosted a lunch meeting with community leaders to discuss the importance of engaging the Latino community in the upcoming election along with Kellan White, Senior Advisor to the Biden campaign in Pennsylvania.
The campaign is just starting, staffers are being hired, and the following months will likely bring additional outreach to Latino communities.
