The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest such group in the United States, strayed from its 95-year-old practice of not backing presidential candidates to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.
Leaders from the group will appear at a campaign event with Ms. Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on Saturday in Las Vegas.
In a statement issued Friday, Domingo Garcia, chair of the LULAC Adelante PAC, said the group was endorsing the Harris-Walz campaign because “we can trust them to do what is right for our community and the country.”
He added in the statement, “Throughout her career, Harris has demonstrated a commitment to justice, equality and inclusivity — values that resonate deeply with the Latino community and will move our country forward in the right direction.”
Mr. Garcia said he is concerned that the election of former President Donald Trump would hurt Latino civil rights. He slammed Project 2025, a conservative governance blueprint written by The Heritage Foundation that Mr. Trump has rejected.
“The choice in this election is clear: Donald Trump and Project 2025 would bring another four years of fear-mongering, division and disrespect and demonizing of Latinos,” Mr. Garcia said.
The endorsement was made through the group’s political action committee, the LULAC Adelante PAC. In its statement, LULAC said its local chapters will work to promote the Harris-Walz campaign, especially in swing states. LULAC boasts 535 chapters and 140,000 members, 86% of whom are registered to vote, the statement said.
Ms. Harris addressed LULAC’s national convention at the end of June before she replaced President Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. In her remarks, she touted the administration’s accomplishments on behalf of Latinos.
Somos Group, which aims to help Latinos participate in democracy, commissioned the Democratic Party pollster BSP Research to conduct a survey of Latino voters in swing states.
The poll found that Ms. Harris has a 55% to 37% lead among Latinos in the seven battleground states of Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia and North Carolina.
BSP Research’s poll concluded that Ms. Harris has a strong Latino lead, which they predict will decide the election in her favor.
Correction: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect title for Domingo Garcia.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.