In a historic first — and a direct rebuke to the bigoted candidacy of Donald Trump — the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has endorsed his opponent Hillary Clinton for President.
It is the group’s first-ever endorsement for a Presidential nominee. The group decided to not remain neutral this election year because “these are extraordinary times.”
Trump’s campaign “has gone from frankly something that was entertaining, comical, and has devolved into something that is frankly scary,” said Javier Palomarez, Hispanic Chamber President and CEO.
Clinton, meanwhile, earned the group’s support “by doing significant outreach to Latinos, including asking to speak with chamber members in different parts of the country.”
“We proudly endorse Hillary Clinton for president of the United States,” he said. “We believe she’s the best person for the job. She’s got experience. She’s got the temperament and track record.”
He said the group weighed in because of Trump’s rhetoric, which has angered many in the U.S. minority community. Trump has been accused of bigotry for his hard line on immigration, and many of his comments have been blasted as racist ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election.
“It wasn’t a step that was taken easily,” Palomarez said, noting that many of the chamber’s board and members are “staunch Republicans.”
The Chamber is the largest Latino business organization in the nation, representing over 4 million Latino-owned businesses that contribute over $600 billion to the US economy.
