A voting location sign at the University of Arizona, 2018.
PHOENIX — The former mayor of Los Angeles and an entrepreneur are leading a new super political action committee that sees Arizona as key to helping the eventual Democratic nominee beat President Trump.
American Latinos United (ALU) aims to chip away at the percentage of Latino support that Trump got in 2016.
As of Jan. 14, the group had yet to raise or spend any money, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. But having super PAC status means there is no cap on what it can take in or dole out to help the Democratic nominee win.
Arizona has been chosen by ALU as one of six battleground states.
“They will directly impact the ability of President Trump to win the Electoral College,” said Fernando Espuelas, ALU CEO.
ALU's goal is to cut into the national percentage of Latinos who vote for Trump from 30% in 2016 to 25% this year. This means educating Arizona voters now, and putting a team on the ground after the Democrats choose their nominee this summer.
By then, the Trump campaign’s Latinos For Trump will have been in Arizona for about a year.
Trump's head start can still be overcome, according to Antonio Villaraigosa, ALU chairman. The former LA mayor said lots of new Latino voters are young and likely to support Democrats.
“We’ve got a bigger pool to work with than (Latinos For Trump) do,” Villaraigosa said.
The president’s re-election campaign and the Maricopa County Republican Party did not respond to messages seeking updates on efforts by Latinos For Trump.
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