Former President Donald Trump is set to hold a rally in the Bronx as part of his campaign’s efforts to appeal to Hispanic and Black voters ahead of the upcoming election. The event is taking place in one of the most Democratic counties in the United States, just days before closing arguments in Trump’s New York criminal hush money trial. Trump faces 34 felony counts and has pleaded not guilty, tying him to New York for much of the past six weeks.
Despite the ongoing trial, the rally in Cortona Park will be Trump’s first major campaign event in New York since his presidential run in 2016. A Trump campaign official cited the former president’s history in New York, his efforts to gain support from minority voters, and the proximity to his trial as reasons for choosing the Bronx for the event. Trump aims to challenge the status quo in a traditionally Democratic state and believes he has a chance to win New York in the upcoming election, despite it being a Democratic stronghold.
The Bronx is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with residents mainly belonging to those demographics according to the US Census Bureau. Trump lost the Bronx to Joe Biden in 2020, although by a smaller margin compared to Hillary Clinton’s victory in 2016. The former president’s campaign is making efforts to reach out to these communities, as seen in his decision to hold a rally in the South Bronx. The Biden campaign launched ads highlighting Trump’s past actions and statements that were perceived as discriminatory towards Black Americans.
Democratic representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ritchie Torres, who represent parts of the Bronx, criticized Trump’s upcoming event, with Ocasio-Cortez calling it an attempt to deceive residents. Torres referred to Trump as “radioactive” in the Bronx, indicating the negative perception of the former president in the area. Trump’s outreach to minority voters aligns with his campaign platform, which has focused on stoking fears about illegal immigration and using inflammatory language when discussing migrants.
The rally in the Bronx is part of Trump’s efforts to challenge the Democratic stronghold in New York and appeal to minority voters. The event comes amidst his ongoing criminal trial and prior controversy surrounding discriminatory actions and statements towards Black Americans. Trump’s campaign aims to shift the dynamics in a state that historically votes for Democrats, indicating his determination to make inroads with diverse communities in the upcoming election.
