Politics

Biden appeals to South Carolina Black vote, Trump, Haley trade insults

Washington, Jan 27 (EFE).- United States President Joe Biden spoke Saturday of the importance of the African-American vote to defeat Donald Trump during a speech in South Carolina, which will begin the Democratic primaries process next weekend ahead of November’s elections.

Meanwhile, former president Trump and former US United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley engaged in an indirect duel, each holding rallies in different states, and constantly trading insults to gain advantage over the other in the Republican primaries.

Biden gave his speech at the South Carolina Democratic Party dinner, attended by prominent local political figures such as African-American Jim Clyburn, who has represented one of the state’s electoral districts in the Lower House since 1993.

“… You’re the reason Donald Trump is a defeated former president. You’re the reason Donald Trump is a loser. And you’re the reason we’re going to win and beat him again,” the president said.

Biden’s speech had two objectives: to reaffirm his loyalty to the state that revived his candidacy in 2020, after coming fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire during the Democratic primary; and regain the support of African-American voters, who were decisive in his victory over Trump.

According to the latest polls, Biden has lost support in the Black community. An NBC poll from November shows his approval among African Americans fell almost 20 points in 2023. Another study by The New York Times published in November revealed discontent among this group of voters in key states such as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

The campaign, precisely, has invested a lot of money and effort in South Carolina due to the weight the Black community has in the base of the Democratic Party.

Despite his symbolic value, Biden has little chance of winning in November in South Carolina, which for the past 48 years has voted for Republican candidates in presidential elections.

Meanwhile, Trump held a rally in Nevada, a state that will likely give him the victory on Feb. 8 during his caucuses.

The electoral process in Nevada is especially complicated: Trump will participate in the caucuses, organized by the state Republican Party, with which he maintains a close relationship. Meanwhile, Haley will appear on the primary ballot two days before, on Feb. 6, which has been organized by the state electoral authority.

Trump will almost certainly take Nevada’s 26 delegates, who will then participate in the party’s national convention in July in Milwaukee to officially elect him as its candidate.

Although Haley has no options in Nevada, Trump used his speech to attack her and boast about his victory in Iowa, where he won with 51 percent of the vote, and in New Hampshire, with 54.3 percent.

The former president’s inner circle hoped his victory would force Haley to end her candidacy. However, she has said she would continue in her race, unleashing the ire of Trump, who has criticized her for not being as conservative as him. On Saturday, he went so far as to describe her as “almost a radical left-wing Democrat.”

Haley focused on South Carolina, where she served as governor between 2011 and 2017, and where she hopes to revive her candidacy, although she currently only has 25 percent of voting intentions while Trump has 50 percent, according to the latest surveys.

In an attempt to reduce that gap, during her rally in Mauldin, South Carolina, Haley intensified her attacks on Trump and criticized him for the time he spends defending himself in court against the 91 charges against him.

She said throughout that time he only cares about himself, instead of “fighting for the American people.” EFE

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