President Biden is set to receive an endorsement from members of Cesar Chavez’s family, including Fernando and Paul Chavez, the sons of the late co-founder of the United Farm Workers. The family’s endorsement is largely symbolic but is intended to send a signal to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is invoking his own family ties to Chavez. Julie Chavez Rodriguez, the granddaughter of Chavez and Biden’s campaign manager, emphasized the president’s reflection of her grandfather’s legacy through his character and actions, stating that Biden understands the power of organizing and working people.
There are 36.2 million Latino voters eligible to vote in this year’s election, an increase of 6 million voters since 2020, making them a crucial demographic sought after by both Biden and former President Donald Trump in key battleground states like Nevada and Arizona. Recent polls show that while Biden still holds majority support among Latino voters, his backing from this demographic has decreased. Independent candidate RFK Jr. has been vying for Latino support by invoking his uncle John F. Kennedy’s famous “Viva Kennedy” slogan in his campaign, appealing to Hispanic voters and connecting his family’s historic ties to the farmworker movement and Latino civil rights movement.
The friendship between Robert F. Kennedy and Cesar Chavez in the 1968 Democratic presidential primary helped galvanize Latino support for Kennedy before his assassination after winning the California primary. This is the second time in two weeks that Biden’s campaign has worked to counter Kennedy’s efforts, as the president recently hosted members of the Kennedy family in the Oval Office and West Wing and displayed busts of both Robert F. Kennedy and Cesar Chavez in the Oval Office. These personal ties between Biden and the Kennedy and Chavez families are not only deeply meaningful but also serve as a strategic move in the current political landscape.
Biden’s campaign is focused on the importance of organized labor, the Latino community, and democracy in the upcoming election, aiming to mobilize these communities into action and secure a victory in November. The endorsement from members of the Chavez family serves as a sign of their support for Biden’s candidacy. The president’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, highlighted the impact of her grandfather’s legacy on mobilizing communities and the importance of continuing to fight for organized labor and civil rights.
Both Biden and Trump have been actively courting the Hispanic vote, particularly in key swing states, as the Latino demographic has become increasingly influential in recent elections. Biden’s campaign has seen a slight decrease in support among Hispanic voters, prompting him to increase outreach efforts to this demographic. RFK Jr.’s campaign is also targeting Latino voters by drawing on his family’s historic connections to the farmworker movement and Latino civil rights movement, appealing to the shared values and history between the Kennedy and Chavez families.
The endorsement of Biden by members of the Chavez family is a significant moment in the presidential campaign, highlighting the importance of connections to key historical figures and movements in mobilizing support from diverse communities. The symbolic gesture of displaying busts of Robert F. Kennedy and Cesar Chavez in the Oval Office reflects the president’s commitment to honoring their legacies and engaging with the issues that have shaped the history of organized labor, civil rights, and the Latino community. As the election approaches, both campaigns are actively working to secure support from Latino voters and other key demographics to secure a victory in November.
