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Meet the Georgians leading Donald Trump’s minority outreach effort
Atlanta Journal Constitution / ajc.com
by Greg Bluestein
4/18/2016
Excerpt:
New York – A few days ago, Bruce LeVell was sitting anxiously at the back of an Alpharetta club hoping to win a vote to be a delegate for Donald Trump. A few weeks ago, Dahlys Hamilton was the Georgia Hispanic outreach coordinator for the Republican frontrunner’s biggest rival.
On Monday, the two were at the center of a swirl of TV cameras and media attention at Trump Tower to unveil a new minority outreach campaign for the billionaire as he tries to lock down the GOP nomination. The National Diversity Coalition for Trump organized an “honorary cabinet” with LeVell, a Dunwoody jeweler, at its top.
“When we get past the wheeling and dealing, Mr. Trump is going to be the Republican nominee. There’s no question. So we need to unite,” said LeVell, who narrowly won a slot as a Georgia delegate to the Cleveland convention. “There’s a bad rumor out there that he’s a racist. I don’t know how else to put it, but it’s wrong.”
Trump’s plans to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and deport illegal immigrants have helped him build a dominating lead in the Republican presidential race, but they’ve also renewed questions about whether he can grow his support from a base of mostly white men. Mitt Romney won less than one-fifth of black voters in 2012, and some Democrats predict Trump could fare worse.
The coalition was dreamed up by Trump adviser Michael Cohen as a way to counter that image before New York’s vote Tuesday and a round of other primaries in diverse states like Pennsylvania, Maryland and California over the next six weeks. The coalition is expected to play an increasing role in the upcoming states.
Hamilton was Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s liaison to the Hispanic community in Georgia until she bolted for Trump’s camp a few weeks ago, announcing on her Facebook page in capital letters: “I’m getting off ‘Lyin’ Ted’s’ Cruz ship and boarding the Trump train!”
“I’ve always liked Trump. I was probably the only Cruz person who liked Trump and I found myself always defending Trump,” Hamilton said before the rally.
“I hate all the racism accusations. I get them all the time, people asking ‘How can you be Hispanic and still conservative?'” said Hamilton, who was born in Panama and raised by a Puerto Rican father. “Well, you can. I believe in the rule of law. I believe English should be the official language of government in Georgia. And I believe illegal immigrants should be deported.”
...................................
View the complete article, including links and video, at:
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/04...treach-effort/
Atlanta Journal Constitution / ajc.com
by Greg Bluestein
4/18/2016
Excerpt:
New York – A few days ago, Bruce LeVell was sitting anxiously at the back of an Alpharetta club hoping to win a vote to be a delegate for Donald Trump. A few weeks ago, Dahlys Hamilton was the Georgia Hispanic outreach coordinator for the Republican frontrunner’s biggest rival.
On Monday, the two were at the center of a swirl of TV cameras and media attention at Trump Tower to unveil a new minority outreach campaign for the billionaire as he tries to lock down the GOP nomination. The National Diversity Coalition for Trump organized an “honorary cabinet” with LeVell, a Dunwoody jeweler, at its top.
“When we get past the wheeling and dealing, Mr. Trump is going to be the Republican nominee. There’s no question. So we need to unite,” said LeVell, who narrowly won a slot as a Georgia delegate to the Cleveland convention. “There’s a bad rumor out there that he’s a racist. I don’t know how else to put it, but it’s wrong.”
Trump’s plans to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and deport illegal immigrants have helped him build a dominating lead in the Republican presidential race, but they’ve also renewed questions about whether he can grow his support from a base of mostly white men. Mitt Romney won less than one-fifth of black voters in 2012, and some Democrats predict Trump could fare worse.
The coalition was dreamed up by Trump adviser Michael Cohen as a way to counter that image before New York’s vote Tuesday and a round of other primaries in diverse states like Pennsylvania, Maryland and California over the next six weeks. The coalition is expected to play an increasing role in the upcoming states.
Hamilton was Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s liaison to the Hispanic community in Georgia until she bolted for Trump’s camp a few weeks ago, announcing on her Facebook page in capital letters: “I’m getting off ‘Lyin’ Ted’s’ Cruz ship and boarding the Trump train!”
“I’ve always liked Trump. I was probably the only Cruz person who liked Trump and I found myself always defending Trump,” Hamilton said before the rally.
“I hate all the racism accusations. I get them all the time, people asking ‘How can you be Hispanic and still conservative?'” said Hamilton, who was born in Panama and raised by a Puerto Rican father. “Well, you can. I believe in the rule of law. I believe English should be the official language of government in Georgia. And I believe illegal immigrants should be deported.”
...................................
View the complete article, including links and video, at:
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/04...treach-effort/
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