PROMINENT LATINOS ENDORSE EDWARDS FOR PRESIDENT
Chapel Hill, North Carolina – The John Edwards for President campaign announced today that numerous Latino elected officials and community leaders are endorsing Senator John Edwards for president. Latino leaders supporting Edwards include U.S. Representatives Raul Grijalva (AZ) and Charlie Gonzalez (TX), and former New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid, Texas Mexican American Legislative Caucus Vice-Chair Trey Martinez Fischer and former Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund Chair Frank Herrera, Jr.
“I am proud to have the support of these prominent leaders,” said Edwards. “Too many Americans today are separated from the opportunities of this country, but working together, we can build One America where all people have the chance to work hard and get ahead. We can guarantee health care for every man, woman and child in this country, eliminate poverty and protect the right to organize, and ensure that future generations have the same opportunities to succeed that I’ve had.”
These leaders are supporting Edwards because of his vision to build One America, where every person has the chance to succeed regardless of race, gender or income. Edwards has proposed bold policies to lift up Latino communities. He has proposed a truly universal health care plan, which would cover every man, woman and child in American, including the one out of every three Latinos who lack coverage. Edwards also has detailed plans to end poverty in America, expand our middle class and strengthen our education system.
"I strongly believe that John Edwards is the right man for the Democrats to nominate for the White House in 2008," said Grijalva. "He has shown principled leadership on the way in Iraq and on economic opportunity in America."
“John Edwards and I share a commitment to improving the lives of working families,” said Gonzalez. “He understands, as I do, that the key to economic development is making sure that our society honors and rewards hard work. Any American who is willing to work hard should have the opportunity to create a better life for his or her family, and John Edwards has spent his life fighting to make this happen.”
"I am proud to endorse my friend, Senator John Edwards," said Madrid, the first Hispanic woman ever elected to the position of state Attorney General. "He has always fought for real change in women's lives—working tirelessly to raise the minimum wage, end poverty and guarantee universal health care."
“The issues that John Edwards cares most passionately about and talks about everywhere he goes -- eliminating poverty, creating economic opportunities, bringing about universal health care, raising the minimum wage, and making the dream of home ownership more accessible to all Americans – are kitchen table issues for Latino families everywhere in this country,” said Fischer.
Latino leaders endorsing Edwards include:
U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva (AZ)
U.S. Representative Charlie Gonzalez (TX)
Former New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid
President of Unidos of Iowa Lena Avila Robinson
President of Quad City Mexican American Organization Celia Rangel
