Harris focuses on the economy in new Latino battlegrounds ad ‘Hard Work’

Vice President Harris is releasing a new ad targeting Latinos in battleground states, focusing on her cost-of-living proposals.

“Hard Work” will air in all battlegrounds with state-specific intros as part of the campaign’s $370 million investment in TV and digital ads in the final weeks of the campaign.

“Hard Work” is narrated in first person by Harris.

“I was raised by a working mother: That’ll teach you about hard work, too,” she says in the ad.

“For some, hard work means waking up before the sun rises. And going to bed long after it has set. Because for people with dreams and ambitions, hard work is how you get ahead. That is what took me from working as a courtroom prosecutor to the White House as your vice president.”

An Oct. 2-10 survey of Latino voters in battleground states found the top three concerns for Hispanics are related to the economy: 59 percent said cost of living is the top issue, 38 percent cited jobs and the economy and 32 percent said housing costs are their greatest concern.

The poll, conducted by BSP Research for the Hispanic Federation and the Latino Victory Foundation, found that Harris has made inroads among battleground Latinos in economic issues, long seen as a strong suit for former President Trump.

Of all Hispanic respondents in battleground states, 61 percent said they trust Harris more to create opportunities, while 28 percent favored Trump.

The survey also measured a keystone of Harris’s economic message, that high prices are driven by price gouging rather than the Biden administration’s management of the economy.

Hispanic battleground voters are split: 58 percent said they blame cost of living on corporations raising prices, 42 percent said inflation is due to inaction by the administration and Congress.

The new Harris ad seeks to connect that price gouging message to Trump and his tax cuts.

“So I get it, you’re out there working hard for your families … but some corporations take advantage of crises to unfairly raise prices on everyday needs. That makes it harder to live, to raise a family,” Harris says in the ad.

“Donald Trump is focused on the billionaires and corporations. But as your president, I’ll work for you. Because I believe all our families deserve a chance to not just to get by, but to get ahead.”

The Harris campaign has bet hard on that message, seeking to blunt Trump’s attacks on inflation.

Earlier this month, it released another ad targeted at battleground Latinos, “Why Do We Fight,” that touted Harris’s corporate oversight work while attorney general of California.

“Donald Trump is only focused on serving the best interests of his billionaire friends and big corporations, while Vice President Harris has a record of taking on big banks and greedy corporations — and winning. We deserve a leader who is willing to stand up for us, fight for our families, and deliver real opportunities for all of our communities. And that’s what we have in Vice President Kamala Harris,” said Harris-Walz coalitions media director Maca Casado.

The new ad is set to air during high-rating telenovelas, MLB postseason games, Mexican and Spanish soccer games and the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

The Hispanic Federation/Latino Victory poll reported a 2.25-point margin of error with 1,900 respondents, 1,600 of whom were from battleground states.