Republicans are expressing frustration about controversial remarks made at former President Trump’s Madison Sq. Backyard rally, worrying that it might complicate the social gathering’s outreach to Hispanic, Latino and Black voters.
Comic Tony Hinchcliffe, one of many featured company at Trump’s New York Metropolis occasion, sparked a furor after referring to Puerto Rico as a “a floating island of garbage,” prompting some members of the GOP, like Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.), who’s Puerto Rican, to come back out towards the remarks. And Tucker Carlson mocked Vice President Harris’s racial id.
The controversy comes as Republicans have seemed to increase their attain with totally different voting cohorts, which might maintain the keys to a different Trump reelection.
“This is just a big punch in the gut for Republicans who have sincerely and over a period of time been working to grow strong relationships and roots in Puerto Rican communities, particularly here in the state of Florida,” mentioned former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.).
Although latest polls present Harris holding the vast majority of assist amongst Latino voters — with a 40-point favorability hole amongst ladies — one-third of Latino voters stay undecided.
For that cause, Trump and his allies have been working arduous to shore up assist amongst Latino voters within the closing stretch of the election — although Hinchcliffe’s feedback might complicate these efforts.
Along with his comment about Puerto Rico, the comic additionally made a crude joke about Latinos during which he mentioned “they love makin’ babies too. Just know that. They do. They do. There’s no pullin’ out. They don’t do that. They come inside. Just like they did to our country.”
Hinchcliffe’s remarks prompted a number of sitting GOP members of Congress to push again towards the derogatory remarks.
“I’m proud to be Puerto Rican. My mom was born and raised in Puerto Rico,” wrote D’Esposito on X. “It’s a beautiful island with a rich culture and an integral part of the USA. The only thing that’s ‘garbage’ was a bad comedy set. Stay on message.”
Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who was born in Cuba however raised partly in Puerto Rico, mentioned on X that she was “disgusted” by Hinchcliffe’s remarks. “This rhetoric does not reflect GOP values,” she mentioned.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), whose profitable 2018 election was gained with the assistance of Puerto Rican voters, additionally mentioned on X that the joke “bombed,” calling it “not funny and not true.”
The Trump marketing campaign, too, has distanced itself from the comic’s rhetoric. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump marketing campaign, mentioned on “Fox & Friends” on Monday that “it was a comedian who made a joke in poor taste.”
“Obviously, that joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or our campaign, and I think it is sad that the media will pick up on one joke that was made by a comedian, rather than the truths that were shared by the phenomenal list of speakers that we had,” she mentioned.
Hinchcliffe for his half defended his remarks, responding to criticism from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
“These people have no sense of humor,” he wrote. “Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his ‘busy schedule’ to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a comedian Tim…might be time to change your tampon.”
Hinchcliffe wasn’t the one one who made controversial remarks about totally different racial and ethic teams through the rally. Conservative firebrand Tucker Carlson referred to Vice President Harris as a “Samoan, Malaysian, low-IQ former California prosecutor” even supposing Harris is neither Samoan or Malaysian, however fairly Black and Indian American.
Trump ally Rudy Giuliani used racist stereotypes about Palestinians in his handle on the rally, claiming “They may have good people. I’m sorry, I don’t take a risk with people that are taught to kill Americans at two.”
Democrats have used the audio system’ feedback to double down on their criticism of Trump. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Harris criticized the Trump New York Metropolis rally, calling it “nonsense.”
“Donald Trump spends full-time trying to have Americans point their finger at each other, fans the fuel of hate and division, and that’s why people are exhausted with him. … People are literally ready to turn the page. They’re tired of it,” Harris mentioned.
The incendiary remarks got here simply over every week out from the election the place polling throughout the battleground states suggests a nail-biter of a presidential race. Pennsylvania, New York and Florida are a few of the states house to giant Puerto Rican communities, and a few Republicans say the feedback made on the Madison Sq. Backyard rally might influence each the GOP presidential marketing campaign and aggressive congressional bids.
“With over 456k Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania, one guy’s abhorrent jokes are like a gift wrapped in ribbon for the Harris campaign,” wrote Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton on X. “At this stage, no campaign can afford negative press — not a single word, not a single action that could alienate or disillusion potential voters.”
Curbelo advised that Hinchcliffe’s remarks might sway Puerto Rican voters in Florida not as acquainted with Scott to vote for Democrats down-ballot.
“What tends to happen is that there’s a lot of times a sense of solidarity amongst Hispanic communities. We certainly see that here in South Florida, with Cuban Americans, Venezuelan Americans, Nicaraguan Americans,” mentioned Curbelo, who’s Cuban, defined. “So some, non-Puerto Rican Hispanics could also feel offended by this.”
Different Republicans, in the meantime, are skeptical the rhetoric might negatively influence the social gathering in November. Giancarlo Sopo, who led Hispanic media for Trump throughout his 2020 marketing campaign, referred to as Hinchcliffe’s joke “stupid” in a textual content message to The Hill, whereas including “it’s a mistake to assume it will offend all Hispanics.”
“It’s certainly not going to matter to Mexican-Americans in the Southwest. And let’s be real—Hispanic culture isn’t exactly politically correct. Was it in poor taste? Sure, but it’s tame compared to what you hear around lonchera trucks and nail salons,” Sopo wrote. “At the end of the day, you know what really offends Hispanics? The prices they’re paying at the grocery store.”
Brian Seitchik, a Republican strategist and Trump marketing campaign alum, dismissed worries that the feedback might mirror again on Trump. Voters, he mentioned, are properly conscious of each Trump’s controversial rhetoric and people round him.
“Latino voters, Black voters, white voters, whomever, millions of Americans are choosing Donald Trump not because they love all of his rhetoric or his friends, it’s because they support his policies,” Seitchik mentioned.
Whereas Democrats have tried to focus on Trump’s historical past of controversial — and typically racist — feedback to discourage voters of colour from supporting him, Seitchik argued that it didn’t work in 2020 and gained’t work this 12 months.
“They’re playing identity politics that so offends minority voters these days,” Seitchik mentioned. “They’re Americans. They’re not Black Americans or Latino Americans. They’re Americans. They want a strong economy, they want to buy a home, they want to send their children to college. They want what every other American wants. And this identity politics approach is simply not working anymore.”
Nonetheless, the controversy swirling across the rally isn’t useful for Trump. Erin Perrine, who served because the Trump marketing campaign’s 2020 communications director, mentioned the true check will come from Democrats and the way far they spotlight these audio system’ feedback.
“Are Democrats going to be putting money behind this message to put it out via text message or on digital ads or a way to get to [a] persuadable voter?” Perrine mentioned.
“Because then they’re going to have to make a dollar decision, whatever other message they were driving with that dollar, are they going to pull that and recategorize it?”
Cheyanne M. Daniels contributed.
