Trump reaching out to Hispanic evangelicals

Donald Trump is reaching out to Hispanic evangelicals, accepting an invitation to speak at an event this weekend in California.

{mosads}The presumptive GOP presidential nominee will deliver taped remarks to the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), Bloomberg reported.

While Hispanics tend to vote overwhelmingly Democratic, evangelicals align with the Republican Party’s conservative social message. 

Trump, whose anti-immigration rhetoric has put him at odds with many Hispanics, will address a Latino audience for the first time in this campaign, Brent Wilkes, the national executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, told the news outlet.

“That’s encouraging, honestly,” said Wilkes.

Latino Evangelicals may be at odds with Democrats on social issues, but the tough Republican stance on immigration tends to alienate them from the GOP. 

“The NHCLC stands committed not to the agenda of the donkey or the elephant but exclusively to the lamb’s agenda,” said Reverend Samuel Rodriguez, president of NHCLC.

Trump is facing a daunting electoral map come November, and improving his stance with Hispanic voters could be the key to winning the election. If Democrats retain the states they’ve held in the last six elections, plus the Latino-heavy swing states of Florida, Colorado and Nevada, Trump’s chances of winning the election will be severely limited. 

Democrats have a natural advantage with Latinos because, among other things, they promote immigration policies better received in the community. 

Trump began his campaign in June proclaiming that Mexican immigrants are “rapists” who “bring crime.” His rallies have frequently been targeted by Hispanic groups protesting against the candidate’s immigration proposals and rhetoric.