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Sanders campaign touts Latino support in Nevada

Posted at 12:58 PM, Jan 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-21 16:00:58-05

Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign in Nevada is ramping up Latino outreach with nearly a month to go before the state Democratic Party caucuses.

The Sanders campaign today unveiled a list of local activists and Latino community members who have endorsed Sanders, including former state Assemblywoman and congressional candidate Lucy Flores, who officially backed the Vermont Senator on Tuesday.

 

Joan Kato, who runs the Sanders campaign in Nevada, admitted that the candidate has a "name recognition" issue among minority voters but that spreading Sander's platform on issues like raising the minimum wage, immigration reform and overhauling the criminal justice system makes him attractive to minority communities. 

"He's been fighting for these issues even before he has been running for president, and that says something about his character, and that says something about why people are getting involved with his campaign," she said at a press conference.

The campaign also announced endorsements on Wednesday from three small Spanish-language publications in Nevada, including Ahora Latino Journal, El Reportero and Tú Revista Latina.

Democratic Assemblyman Nelson Araujo, a strident supporter of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said that the Clinton campaign has been working to build in-roads with minority communities for longer than any campaign in the state.

"Endorsements are endorsements, but we’re out there contacting Latino constituents who are very excited about Secretary Clinton," he said.

Nevada's Democratic Party caucus is scheduled for Feb. 20th.