Latinas Want One of Their Own As Biden's VP

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2020 THE SUNDAY EXTRA Latinas want one of their own as Biden’s VP DAVID CATANESE Tribune News Service WASHINGTON — As Joe Biden begins to formalize a list of potential running mates, it’s clear that several African American women will sit prominently at the top. Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams already boast considerable national profiles, and Val Demings, a police chief-turned-congresswoman from Central Florida, earned unexpected notoriety as an impeachment manager in the Sen- ate trial of President Donald Trump. But even as Hispanics are ex- pected to make up the largest nonwhite voting bloc in the 2020 election, leaders of the community concede that Latina women enter the veepstakes process as less likely prospects, rather than top-tier hopefuls — the result of a still-maturing power base that’s MATT ROURKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS yet to be fully realized. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden and senior adviser Symone Sanders participate in a campaign event on Jan. Elected officials, interest groups 27 in Iowa City, Iowa. Biden’s status as Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting means the party will choose another man for an office never held and Hispanic operatives are plan- by a woman. But he’s running with plenty of women behind him. ning to present a case for a handful of Latina prospects to the Biden campaign. But they also are em- phasizing that some type of eth- nic diversity is the most important ingredient for a Democratic ticket that will all but certainly be helmed by a 77-year-old white man. Biden’s inner circle “The Latino community has the potential to be kingmakers and queenmakers. We actually have larger numbers than African Americans, but I think we have a little work to do in flexing our mus- cle,” said Maria Cardona, one of the top Latina Democratic strategists in the country, noting that the no longer boys club turnout rate for Latinos remained below 50% in 2016. “We’re leaving BILL BARROW woman as his running mate. much of her time at Philadelphia so much power on the table.” Associated Press Biden had previously tasked headquarters before it was shut- Latinas will almost certainly Weeks before Joe Biden Dunn, 63, with leading his tered by the coronavirus, a trio of appear on Biden’s vetting list, launched his 2020 presidential campaign after an embarrass- Biden’s old-guard — Donilon, his which he said on “The View” re- campaign, he released a social ing fourth-place finish in Iowa speechwriter and ad guru since cently he would be narrowed to media video to address allega- in February. Dunn already had the early 1980s, and former chiefs “about 11” in the coming weeks tions from women who said his bonded with two other top of staff Ricchetti and Bruce Reed and will include only women. uninvited displays of affection women advisers: Bedingfield, — comprised a traveling mainstay Catherine Cortez Masto of Ne- had made them uncomfortable. 38, and Symone Sanders, 30, who with the candidate. Still, inter- vada, the first Latina elected to the “Social norms have begun to came to the campaign as one of views with nearly a dozen Biden U.S. Senate, is the first name cited change. They’ve shifted,” said the the party’s most high-profile aides and allies made clear that almost universally by Hispanic former vice president, then 76. black women strategists. Dunn women are a driving force behind leaders as a credible contender. Looking straight into a cellphone also recommended Biden make the candidate and his campaign. A former state attorney gen- camera, he added: “I hear what O’Malley Dillon, 43, his perma- Women were in the room when eral and gubernatorial chief of they are saying. I understand.” nent manager. Biden reversed his decades-long staff, and the current chair of the Kate Bedingfield, an adviser Bedingfield and Biden’s first support for the Hyde amendment, Democratic Senatorial Campaign the same age as Biden’s youngest campaign manager, Greg Schultz, a prohibition on federal money JOHN J. KIM Committee, Cortez Masto boasts daughter, was first to propose a , TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE meanwhile, had built a team with paying for abortions. They’ve an impressive resume. Yet the direct-to-lens declaration. She Former Vice President Joe Biden women atop several divisions: pol- helped soften his defensiveness 55-year-old first-term Mexican joined forces with Anita Dunn, speaks to news media and a icy, political outreach, research, about lingering criticisms over American senator is largely an an alumna of President Barack handful of supporters at Berston fundraising and accounting. And Hill. And women urged Biden to unknown figure outside of Nevada Obama’s West Wing and relative Field House on March 9 in Flint, Biden’s traveling chief of staff is talk more openly about a debili- and Washington’s small coterie of newbie to Biden’s orbit. Together Mich. Annie Tomasini, making her the tating stutter that he learned to national Hispanic interest groups. with two of Biden’s longest-serv- candidate’s day-to-day shepherd. manage as a boy, convincing him Democrats are also floating ing confidants — Steve Ricchetti Biden, she said, is “cognizant of That’s a notable lineup for it wasn’t a weakness, but a hu- names such as New Mexico’s Mi- and Mike Donilon — they con- the fact that we bring different a man who came of age in a manizing strength. chelle Lujan Grisham, who’s the vinced the almost-candidate it life experiences to the table, and staunchly patriarchal era. He When Biden granted Dunn final first Democratic Latina governor was the right course. that that is valuable,” while also joined an all-male Senate in 1973. decision-making authority after and a former congresswoman, and When the boss was ready, Be- seeing women and men as equals He’s since authored the Violence the Iowa caucuses, she moved Reps. Veronica Escobar and Sylvia dingfield held up her phone to in presidential politics. Against Women Act, but also has quickly. She recruited O’Mal- Garcia, the first two Latinas elected record. It’s a vital dynamic for a poli- been harangued over his handling ley Dillon, who’d never worked to Congress from Texas in 2018. Those early days of spring 2019 tician whose career is marked by of Anita Hill’s accusations of sex- directly for Biden, to oversee California Rep. Tony Cardenas, portended a defining new reality both successes and controversies ual harassment against Clarence the Nevada operation. Sanders who chairs the fundraising PAC of for Biden: His innermost circle where women are concerned, and Thomas before his 1991 Supreme headed to South Carolina. Those the Congressional Hispanic Cau- for decades was dominated by also for his party, which again will Court confirmation. Biden said states resuscitated a campaign cus, said he’s prepared a list of five men, with the crucial exceptions nominate a man despite a his- that led him to recruit the first Dunn said was “on the brink of Latinas for the Biden campaign, of his wife, Jill, and sister, Valerie. torically diverse field that fueled women to the Senate Judiciary collapse.” including California Rep. Lucille But the 50-year political veteran many Democrats’ hopes that a Committee, though he’s never Bedingfield and Sanders were Roybal-Allard and Rhode Island has expanded his brain trust, woman finally could win the personally apologized to Hill for especially vocal in pressing Biden Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, and the cadre of women now in- presidency. anything he did as chairman, in- to bail on New Hampshire when in addition to Cortez Masto, Lujan cluded have helped shape — and Accordingly, Biden has high- stead referring generally to how it became clear he’d lose badly Grisham and Escobar. even rescue — a campaign that lighted that women are leaders on other senators treated her. there. They helped convinced Cardenas said he’s determined has whipsawed Biden from early his campaign and assured voters Dunn said it is Biden’s “world him to visit South Carolina for to see Latinas included in the mix favorite to disappointing after- they would remain so in his White view” to want women challenging a rally on friendlier turf before but believes Biden’s selection is thought and finally to prospective House. He pledged days before the him. But she and other women traveling to Nevada. not a prerequisite to motivate His- Democratic nominee. South Carolina primary to make deflect credit for his campaign “There was a big difference panics to the polls this fall. “We don’t have a senior meet- a black woman his first Supreme turnaround, pointing elsewhere, between a fifth-place finish in a “Hispanics are going to be ing on the campaign where Court nominee. After taking com- including at the men who remain ballroom in New Hampshire and coming out in record numbers in women are not at least half the plete command of the nominating fixtures. a fifth-place finish being in South November,” he said. “Because the meeting,” said Bedingfield, the fight over subsequent weeks, he “Successful campaigns are Carolina, making the case for choice is Biden-Trump.” deputy campaign manager, who named Democratic operative Jen about addition,” Dunn said, “not where we thought our campaign The Latino Victory Project, a had joined Biden during his final O’Malley Dillon as his campaign subtraction.” would turn around,” Bedingfield political action committee cre- years as Obama’s vice president. manager and promised to select a Indeed, while Dunn spent said.

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