Trump and Harris heads to Pennsylvania after Puerto Rico joke at rally

US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris were in the swing state of Pennsylvania on Monday after a bad joke at a Trump rally threatened to alienate Latin American voters.  

Speaking at the rally in New York last week, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage,” sparking fury from voters and accusations of racism. 

The joke threatened to undo months of work by the Republican party to persuade Latino voters to show their support for former President Donald Trump in Tuesday’s presidential elections.  

“When I was knocking at the doors the other day, I did run into an individual from Puerto Rico who mentioned this actually made him flip his vote,” said Democratic Party volunteer Teddy Vasquez.

“You can’t disrespect the people who you’re asking them to vote for,” Vasquez added.

The city of Reading in Pennsylvania could decide which candidate wins Pennsylvania, which in turn might decide who becomes the next president of the US. 

With around 100,000 inhabitants, it’s the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania. The latest census shows two out of every three residents are Hispanic or Latino. 

However, some members of the Puerto Rican communities weren’t put off voting for Trump by Hinchcliffe’s comments. 

“My family is not offended, because we know that we are proud Americans,” said Sarah Torres, a volunteer with the Republican party. 

“The only ones who represent the values of Latin Americans are Donald Trump and the Republican party.” 

Pennsylvania is a swing state, meaning one of a handful where both Democrats and Republicans have similar levels of support amongst voters. They’re crucial in determining the overall result of a presidential election. 

And with its 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania could be the deciding factor in victory or defeat for either candidate. 

No Democratic nominee has won the presidential race without winning Pennsylvania since 1948. 

Puerto Ricans who live on the island cannot vote in general elections despite being US citizens, but they can exert an influence with relatives residing on the mainland, who can vote in their respective states. 

Some two-thirds of ethnic Puerto Ricans live on the US mainland, making them the second largest Hispanic group nationwide after Mexican-Americans and therefore an important voting demographic.