Puerto Ricans Could Harm Donald Trump in These Battleground States

Puerto Ricans could harm Donald Trump in key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona, according to polling.

It comes after remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at Trump’s rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday night sparked a firestorm of criticism and dominated news headlines.

At the rally, Hinchcliffe joked that Puerto Rico was a “floating island of garbage.” The joke received mixed reactions, with several GOP figures, including those in Florida—the state with the largest population of Puerto Ricans in the United States—condemning the remarks.

While Trump campaign adviser Danielle Alvarez clarified that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s controversial remarks at a recent Trump rally “do not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” the comments could still hurt Trump’s standing with Puerto Rican voters. With battleground states often decided by narrow margins, any shift in support among Puerto Rican voters could be pivotal.

Newsweek has contacted the Harris and Trump campaigns for comment via email.

In Pennsylvania, where Puerto Ricans account for 3.7 percent of the population, Biden narrowly won by 1.2 points in 2020. This demographic could play a decisive role in states like Georgia and Arizona as well, where Biden’s victory margin was only 0.2 and 0.3 points, respectively, and Puerto Ricans make up around 1 percent of each state’s population.

In Wisconsin, where Biden won by 0.6 points, Puerto Ricans also make up about 1 percent of the population. Even in North Carolina, where Trump secured a win by 1.4 points, Puerto Ricans make up approximately 1.1 percent of the population, potentially influencing the vote.

Polls show tight races in these key states, with candidates polling within 0.1 to 1.9 points of each other, according to FiveThirtyEight, underscoring the potential of the Puerto Rican population, estimated at 5.8 million across the U.S., to determine the outcome in these critical battlegrounds.

Trump is currently ahead in Nevada, Pennsylvania, Georgia, as well as Arizona and North Carolina, while Harris is ahead in Michigan and the candidates are tied in Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, efforts are underway to mobilize Puerto Rican and Latino voters after Sunday’s rally, with Voto Latino, the leading civic engagement organization focused on informing and empowering a new generation of Latino voters, expected to hold a national virtual call on Tuesday to rally the Latino community to go out and vote.

“Trump and the Republicans are reminding us of their animosity toward each and every Latino,” said Voto Latino cofounder and President María Teresa Kumar in a press release seen by Newsweek.

“With days until the election, they are openly and proudly doubling down on their true intentions of making Latinos the ‘enemy within’ if they win back the White House. Their platform is xenophobia and, specifically, hatred for Latino families,” Kumar added.

“One thing is for certain: Another four years of a Trump presidency puts our communities at risk of violence of the highest order. It is clear that Trump will not stop when it comes to targeting Latinos, and his enablers will cheer him on. We must all stand up and call today’s comments what they are: racist, degenerate, and dangerous. It was a call to action to cause harm to us.”

Kumar continued: “In the face of this unambiguous and vile hatred from the Trump main stage, it is incumbent on all Americans who support our robust and diverse democracy to condemn these remarks. And it is essential that everyone votes who can: Trump has firmly put racism on the ballot, and it is up to all of us to defeat it.”

Latino leaders in the swing states also joined the calls. “Unfortunately for many years we have become used to the rhetoric that is being used for us,” Astrid Silva, the founder and executive director for Dream Big Nevada, told KSNV. “It’s important to remind our community that no matter what, even if we are undocumented, we still matter, we contribute.”

“We know that no matter what, unfortunately, things are going to be said, and that is why we are asking those who support Dreamers to cast their ballot. We want them to make sure that our voice is heard through them,” she said.

Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation, added: “Millions of Puerto Ricans in states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida and New York may no longer live on the island, but they still revere it as their ancestral and cultural home, and you cannot continue to disrespect us and think that we are not going to remember that when we go to the ballot box.

“Really, enough is enough! It is vital that Puerto Ricans, allies of our community and all Latinos vote in the upcoming election in force and make it clear that these remarks are as unacceptable as the candidate who gave it a national platform today.”

Residents of Puerto Rico—a U.S. island territory in the Caribbean—are unable to vote in presidential elections, but the large diaspora in the U.S. can.