Pete Buttigieg Pledges ‘A New Era for Latinos’ by Targeting Trump Policies

Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg unveiled a proposal on Monday pledging a “new era for Latinos,” including a rollback of a number of President Donald Trump’s policies.

“Whether it is the disenfranchisement of the people of Puerto Rico or Latino neighborhoods denied access to clean air and water, Latinos in the United States have been burdened for too long by a legacy of systemic discrimination,” Buttigieg wrote in the plan.

“It is for this reason that our campaign has woven policies to support and empower the Latino community throughout the plans we have released. Now, we are committing to do even more.”

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According to a recent national survey conducted by Quinnipiac University, 29% of Hispanic voters view Buttigieg favorably, compared to 50% for former Vice President Joe Biden, 55% for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and 35% for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

Donald Trump is seen as favorable by 30% of Hispanic voters, but has a much higher unfavorable rating than Buttigieg, at 66% compared to 27%. More than 40% of Hispanic voters told Quinnipiac that they had not heard enough about Buttigieg to form an opinion.

His plan released on Monday rehashes elements of previously released proposals, including his “Douglass Plan,” or his agenda for the nation’s black population.

Among the proposals included in both plans is a call for bigger investments in Latino-owned businesses using a $10 billion fund for minority entrepreneurs, and a proposal to award 25% of federal contracting dollars to underrepresented groups, including Latinos.

The new plan also calls for a reversal of a number of Trump policies such as the so-called “public charge rule,” and an effort by the administration to tighten work requirements for the nation’s food stamp program that was made public earlier this month.

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Buttigieg, who has previously called for a “grand bargain” on immigration, reiterated his support for a “path to citizenship” for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

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