VP Kamala Harris visits Houston for Hispanic outreach event
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From left to right, U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) and Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) and Vice President Kamala Harris. Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios
Vice President Kamala Harris came to Houston on Monday for a moderated conversation with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Why it matters: The event was an opportunity for politicians to highlight the Biden-Harris administration's efforts to support the Latino community and to appeal to Hispanic voters.
- Latino voters are important to Democrats' success in key states, but polls show they are slowly drifting away from the party.
Driving the news: More than 200 community members and public officials were present as Harris — joined by caucus Chair Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) and Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) — discussed topics including abortion, gun violence, mental health and small businesses.
- "Really every issue is a Latino issue," Garcia said.
What happened: County Judge Lina Hidalgo told the audience, "You are hard-pressed to find an administration that has done more for the Hispanic community" than the Biden-Harris administration.
- Hidalgo also shared how the vice president reached out to her during her recent stay at a mental health facility, and Hidalgo urged more conversation about mental health within the Hispanic community.
- Plus: Several politicians, including Mayor Sylvester Turner and U.S. Reps. Al Green, Lizzie Fletcher and Sheila Jackson Lee, also lauded the work that the administration has done, like the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
What they're saying: "We are living in a moment where there is a full-on attack on our freedoms and rights," Harris said. "We're going to have to build coalition, and we're going to have to remember that these are the things that make us strong as a nation and this is a time for us to recommit ourselves."
- "I love Gen Z," she added. "What I have found and learned is that they, on each and every one of these issues, are not going to be satisfied until things are done."
The other side: Experts say the Biden administration's approval of a new border wall and adoption of other policies reminiscent of the Trump era could risk Democrats' support with Latinos, Axios' Astrid Galván writes.
Meanwhile, outside the caucus event, there was a pro-Palestinian protest of a few dozen people, including many Gen Zers, who condemned the Biden-Harris administration and called for an end to U.S. aid to Israel.
- Harris did not comment on the protest during the event.
The intrigue: As candidates gear up for the 2024 elections, many young voters are reportedly losing faith in the Democratic Party and are regularly protesting in the streets for Palestine.
Go deeper: Biden's team sees a "very close" election in 2024 and Arab Americans warn Biden's Israel stance could hurt him.