President Trump attends Latinos for Trump roundtable during his 5th Phoenix visit
PHOENIX - President Donald Trump made his fifth appearance this year in Arizona on Sept. 14 when he courts Latino votes at an event in Phoenix.
The plane carrying President Trump arrived at Sky Harbor Airport at around 2:30 p.m. Monday.
Visit focuses on Arizona's Latino vote
The President spoke to Hispanic supporters at what was labeled as a “roundtable” meeting in Phoenix, though even the president acknowledges “it looks like a rally.”
The roundtable had 11 community members, business owners, and veterans, who took turns telling the president what their American dream was. The president says he is at the event to listen, but he is also trying to energize the crowd of several hundred people, which is mostly unmasked and sitting closely together indoors.
Hispanics have been hit hard by the pandemic, with the latest unemployment rate standing at 10.5% in August. Trump is promising to revive the economy and says “we’re coming back very, very strong.” He says Biden would jeopardize that revival.
Polls are showing a close race in the normally Republican-leaning state of Arizona. Trump is trying to rally Hispanic voters to his cause, citing low unemployment rates for the Hispanic population prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump carried Arizona by 3.5 points in 2016. Democrats have made inroads in the longtime Republican stronghold, and it is now a top battleground in the fight for the presidency.
As the event took place, a group of protesters lined up outside the resort where the roundtable took place to show their opposition.
Democrat Joe Biden has said he plans to campaign in Arizona after Labor Day but he has not announced a date for a visit. His wife, Dr. Jill Biden, held a virtual event for teachers last week. His running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, also held an Arizona-focused event online over the weekend.
Vice President Mike Pence will visit Arizona on Friday, Sept. 18 for a "Libre Initiative Roundtable for Hispanic Heritage Month," his office confirmed to FOX 10. Pence is also scheduled to participate in a "Veterans for Trump" event on the same day.
Continuing Coverage
Get breaking news alerts in the FOX 10 News app. It is FREE! Download for Apple iOS or Android.