A Dominican, a Pole, and a Latino walk into a bar...
The punchline? They're all wearing MAGA hats! New York is experiencing a very real surge of support for Donald Trump, and it's coming from unexpected quarters.
We were there in the South Bronx for Trump's massive rally (and we will be there at Madison Square Garden on October 27th!), and couldn't help but notice the large turnout of black and brown New Yorkers.
--All above from Bronx rally.
What's happening in New York mirrors a nationwide trend. A Monday article in--of all places--USA Today, a poll shows Trump and Harris even in support among black and Latino voters when the tallies for each group are added together.
Harris leads among blacks, but by a smaller margin than Democrat candidates have done, and Trump leads among Latinos. After combining the two groups, the numbers are virtually identical, which is a shocking outcome--at least to those who haven't noticed the shift away from the Democrats.
In a Bronx barbershop chat yesterday, Trump chatted about hair, and the issues, with several local barbers. What matters to these salt of the earth gentlemen? The border, and inflation. According to the shop owner, in five years, the rent at the shop went from $2,100 to $15,000 per month. No, that's not a typo.
Correspondingly, the cost of a haircut has gone from $12-$15 to $30-$40.
Let's not forget the Polish contingent! A lot of Poles populate New York--nearly 835,000, over 4% of the state.
On Saturday, a large Latino Trump rally was held in Washington Heights, north of Harlem. These rallies represent a significant change in attitude for the neighborhood, not just in terms of support, but in expressing it publicly.
Four years ago, wearing a MAGA hat anywhere in Manhattan was living dangerously. To do so anywhere near Harlem was asking for a confrontation. Now there are organized rallies.
Now, it's a matter of mobilizing that support and making sure these new supporters get to the polls.
