Trump is best for Hispanics, while Harris would cause severe harm

I was born into a family of immigrant farm workers. My father had nothing more than a dream for his sons to prosper when he came to America, and I was taught at a young age how to give it my all for a better life. I have learned to appreciate the chances that this beautiful country offers, and I believe in the American Dream.

My family picked strawberries in the fields of California and, through grit and hard work, built a successful farm business. The journey from farmworker to businessperson to the high office of lieutenant governor of California has taught me that the American Dream is primarily rooted in economic opportunity.

Like millions of Hispanics, my own family came to this nation for the opportunity to build a better future. A future that has become increasingly unattainable, because of record prices and lower real wages under Harris and Biden. For this reason, I urge you to vote for Donald Trump as President of the United States. Trump's policies gave all Americans, including our Hispanic communities, a clear path to economic opportunity. Under his administration, new opportunities were created for the Hispanic Community, and his commitment to restoring that economic prosperity will provide hope for millions struggling to get by.

The stories of many Hispanics in this Country are intertwined with my own. My dad was a young man when he left Mexico to farm the fields of America and feed his family. He taught me that, with a strong work ethic, the American Dream was possible to achieve. He was correct, too. My family started a farming business from the fields and put food on dinner tables across America.

Taking those lessons of hard work and service into public life, I became Mayor of Santa Maria, then a State Senator, and eventually rose to become the 48th Lieutenant Governor of California.

Throughout my career, I've fought for Hispanic communities and worked to promote policies that will create jobs for all. That is why I am sharing this today. I see a choice; I think it is clear that in the next presidential election, Donald Trump will allow Hispanics to prosper and regain economic opportunities.

Under President Trump, Hispanics had record economic prosperity. His leadership brought the lowest Hispanic unemployment rate in American history, reaching a record of 3.9%. His policies of cutting taxes and reducing regulations for small businesses gave Hispanic small businesses more income and allowed them to reinvest in their communities.

With his signature economic achievement, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Trump reduced economic barriers by cutting taxes for small businesses, which created a job-creating environment in the Hispanic community. President Trump’s policies generated billions of dollars, with Hispanic-owned firms being the fastest-growing category of small businesses in the United States. The success of these companies made the economy strong and lifted our communities to new heights.

Not only were taxes cut and jobs created, but wage growth for Hispanics also grew tremendously. The median household income for Hispanics rose by over 7%, allowing Hispanic families to buy homes and invest in their children's futures. These are the tangible results we saw in the Hispanic community that were a direct product of President Trump's economic policies that boosted small businesses.

In contrast, under the administration of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, the cost of living has skyrocketed. Inflation has surged to its highest levels in decades, driving up the price of everything from groceries to gasoline. Hispanic families, many of whom already struggle to make ends meet, have been disproportionately affected by this surge in prices.

What good is a job if your paycheck doesn't stretch as far as it used to?

The Harris-Biden energy policies have made Hispanics' financial hardships much worse. Under their reign, they have increased gas costs through restrictions on domestic energy production and the promotion of unproven green energy programs. These measures have been disastrous for Hispanic workers who depend on reasonably priced fuel to travel to work.

A Kamala Harris presidency would bring economic policies even further to the left than this current administration. Throughout her term in the United States Senate, Harris backed policies like the Green New Deal, which states as its goal the elimination of all fossil fuels and would effectively eliminate millions of jobs. This would be disastrous to the Hispanic population as millions who currently work in the sectors of energy and agriculture would see their livelihoods wiped out. Policies that put hardworking Americans below impractical ideology are not something we can afford.

As a case in point, consider that as I write this, the average price of gasoline is $3.21 per gallon – more than $1.00 more per gallon than the day she became vice president. In fact, gas has been over $3.00 a gallon for over 1,200 days in a row and there is no reason to believe that a Harris presidency would reverse any of this – on the contrary, it would certainly get worse.

A Harris presidency would bring high taxes – almost $36,000 in new taxes on the average family – and more regulations on small Hispanic businesses that are barely able to get by. Her leadership would cause mass job losses and wipe out savings accounts. This is why keeping her as far away from the Oval Office as possible is essential to building economic prosperity in this country.

As a son of immigrant farm workers, I understand what it takes to achieve the American Dream. President Trump sees what it takes for the Hispanic population to achieve economic prosperity, so I believe he is the best candidate in this race for our communities. His proven leadership gave Hispanics record economic achievements, which have been hindered under this administration and would be destroyed under President Harris' presidency. Let's vote for Donald Trump to get America back on track this November.

Abel O. Maldonado, Jr. served as Lieutenant Governor of California in 2010 and 2011.