A major Hispanic political advocacy group on Thursday launched Latinos con Biden, a digital campaign to garner Latino support for former Vice President Joe Biden‘s presidential campaign.
The Latino Victory Fund, the first major Latino organization to endorse Biden, put together the campaign, which will include a website, a weekly web series with top Biden endorsers and a multiplatform bilingual social media effort.
“In January 2021, there will be no learning curve for the next president of the United States. Our country will need an experienced leader who will hit the ground running on day one, and that candidate is Vice President Biden,” said Luis A. Miranda Jr., chair of Latino Victory.
“Vice President Biden has consistently supported issues that align with the Latino community, including access to quality, affordable health care, job growth, and a prosperous economy, access to higher education and reducing gun violence,” Miranda added. “He is committed to introducing and fighting for legislative immigration reform, including the protections of the Dream Act, within the first week of a Biden Administration. Latinos will rest assured knowing that they’ll once again have an ally in the White House.”
Latinos con Biden will count as a coordinated expenditure, meaning it will be federally limited in how much it can spend but will be allowed to coordinate its efforts with Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The financial structure also means the campaign could not have been launched during the primaries, as coordinated expenditures are only allowed to support a candidate in a general election.
DNC Chairman Tom Perez is expected to officially announce the launch of Latinos con Biden at a webinar Friday.
Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has been racking up major endorsements from the likes of former President Obama and former progressive opponents Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
The new digital effort also comes as campaigns across the board struggle to adapt to voter outreach under the limitations set by the coronavirus pandemic.
“By creating Latinos con Biden, we’re opening up valuable entry points for Latinos who want to propel Vice President Biden to victory in the 2020 election. Just like when it comes to in-person organizing, our community’s inclusion in the virtual space is not-negotiable,” said Mayra Macías, executive director of Latino Victory.
Macías told The Hill that Latinos con Biden will allow the national campaign to reach voters through their communities, rather than effecting a one-size-fits-all campaign strategy on Latino voters.
“Frankly, we’re the best organizers amongst ourselves,” said Macías.
The website will feature toolkits to teach Hispanic Biden supporters how to host their own livestreams with members of their communities, mimicking the local in-person events rendered impossible by social distancing measures.
Macías added that the group is considering building local groups on the WhatsApp messaging platform, which is disproportionately popular among Hispanics and Latin Americans.
The weekly webinars with top Biden endorsers are expected to include everyone from celebrities to elected officials and could attract large online followings.
“Latinos want to get Trump out of the White House, and we want to engage in the political process and vote. We know that historically, Latinos are the best self-organizers, and Latinos con Biden will provide the tools to empower our community to organize with access and information in a collaborative, familial space,” said Macías.
“Latino Victory is ready to do our part in the Latino community’s fight for the soul of our nation,” she added.
