Hillary Clinton Seeks To Solidify Support Among Latinos
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SAN ANTONIO (CBSDFW) Riding high from Tuesday night's debate, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton brings her Presidential campaign to Texas today.
At the Sunset Station in downtown San Antonio, the former Secretary of State aims to solidify her support among Latinos at a "Latinos for Hillary" grassroots organizing event.
While here, Mrs. Clinton is widely expected to be endorsed by the city's former Mayor and current HUD Secretary Julian Castro, who was well-received during the 2012 Democratic National convention.
SMU Political Science professor Cal Jillson says Castro "is on a long short list of Vice-Presidential candidates, maybe near the top."
But Jillson cautions it's still very early in the process. "The whole idea of that short list at this point is to attract as many people who would like to be thought of for Vice-President to support the ticket."
Mrs. Clinton will also participate in a question and answer session with the President & CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Javier Palomarez.
The Lone Star State is the big prize during the March 1st primary called Super Tuesday.
Jillson says Clinton "needs Texas, an early voting state and she does need to do well in the state among Hispanics."
Clinton leads the national polls and remains ahead of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democratic Socialist.
Jillson says Sanders is her main challenger. "Blacks and Hispanics don't yet know much about Bernie Sanders. They're with Hillary, and he's got to win them away and she's got to hold them."
Mrs. Clinton has political roots in Texas.
In the 1970's, she came to the state to help Latinos in the Rio Grande Valley to register to vote.
Jillson says the Clintons are "well-known, they're well-liked, decades worth of familiarity."
But Jillson adds, "I'm not sure how critically important that is."
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