TRUMP’S TURN: Univision Town Hall Recap

Jorge Bonilla
October 17th, 2024 1:08 AM

Text to Speech

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Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris attended a town hall hosted by Univision at Las Vegas, Nevada. Former President Donald Trump’s was scheduled earlier in the week but postponed due to potential impacts from Hurricane Milton. Trump’s town hall was rescheduled for tonight, at Univision headquarters in Doral. FL.

There are contrasts in the town halls. In Harris’s case, she got fewer questions which on substance were simpler. Trump drew more substantive questions, as well as some which could well be considered hostile.

It is also necessary to remember that this town hall was supposed to feature persons from battleground states. As with the Harris forum, there were people flown in from California and other non-swing states. 

The first question of the night was on high prices and the cost of housing:

The first immigration question was about the deportation of farm workers. Trump suggests here that the initial focus may be on criminal migrants:

The next question is on housing and job creation:

Trump gets asked about the national debt, proposes growth as a solution to debt. He floats Elon Musk as Efficiency Czar.

The next question is on immigration, and on the failed Senate bill. This “independent” from Chicagoland sure sounds like a Harris leaner:

The Springfield “cats and dogs” question, from an Arizona voter.

Here’s where the game is given away: They bring back a questioner from the Harris forum. His tone and question were much sharper to Trump than to Harris.

Another “swing voter” from Illinois, with a left-framed gun control question. 

Florida Man with a climate change question. Good on Trump to pivot to the Green New Deal.

The obligatory abortion question, couched as a wedge against Melania:

Another person traveling to both events: Carlos from Arizona asks Trump whether he has any regrets from his previous stint in The White House.

Eloy from Wisconsin asks Trump what steps he’d take in order to unite the nation.

To end the town hall, the same final question from the same person that asked Kamala to name three positive attributes about their opponent. Kamala named 1 such attribute. Trump named 3.

There were 13 audience questions for Trump to Kamala’s 10. Trump’s questions were sharper in comparison to Kamala’s. As was the case with Kamala’s town hall, anchor Enrique Acevedo maintained a hands-off approach, which allowed the candidates to engage the audience directly. Per reports, Trump met with attendees after the conclusion of the event. 

Might this event move the needle for Hispanics with Trump? It’s hard to say definitively, but it can’t hurt any time Trump has a mic and is in front of a crowd. Media strategies are going to get very interesting over the next three weeks.

 

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