WASHINGTON — Facing increasing calls to withdraw from the presidential race, President Joe Biden was prepared to address a supportive audience of Latino leaders and community organizers on Wednesday. However, minutes before his speech, it was announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19.

Biden’s appearance at the UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas was already delayed when Janet Murguía, the organization's president, took the stage looking visibly emotional to announce that Biden had called her personally to say he could not attend. “The president has been at many events, as we all know, and he just tested positive for Covid,” she said to audible groans from the audience. “He obviously didn’t want to put anyone at risk and said to tell my folks that we’re not going to get rid of him that quickly.”

Phoenix City Councilman Carlos Galindo-Elvira, who had secured a front-row seat for Biden's speech, expressed that the virus should not be seen as a sign for Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, as some Democrats have been suggesting. “The president showed leadership and stayed true to the work he’s done on fighting Covid. I’m glad he called Janet Murguía and let her know personally, and I’m glad that he followed the precautions that he always touted at the height of the pandemic,” Galindo-Elvira said. Although disappointed not to see Biden up close, he remained confident in Biden's re-election prospects, stating, "that doesn't mean I'm not going to have a front-row seat when history is made and he's re-elected."

Biden’s scheduled speech, officially a White House event rather than a campaign event, was intended to bolster Latino support and rally community leaders vital to his efforts to energize and mobilize Hispanic voters for the upcoming election. This event came just hours after Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a prominent House member, publicly called for Biden to step down, citing concerns over Biden's age, health, and cognitive abilities.

The President's performance with Latino voters is critical in this year's tight presidential race. Although he secured 65% of the Latino vote in 2020, recent polls suggest that some of that support may be waning. Recognizing the urgency of maintaining their advantage with Latino voters, Democrats have been investing early and heavily in outreach efforts to this key demographic.

Economic concerns, particularly the rising costs of food, housing, and other essentials following the pandemic, coupled with doubts about Biden’s competence and age, have led to uncertainty among Latino voters who preferred him by a 2-1 margin in 2020. Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, earlier addressed the UnidosUS conference, referring to the attendees as “fellow foot soldiers in the fight against racism and discrimination” and highlighting the Biden administration's civil rights achievements. Clarke noted the Department of Justice's success in securing 90 life sentences for the gunman responsible for the 2019 shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, which targeted Hispanic individuals. She also mentioned a DOJ investigation last month that found the Phoenix police department and city had discriminated against Latino, Black, and Native American people.

Prior to the planned speech, the White House had announced that Biden would sign an executive order to establish a White House initiative aimed at strengthening Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). There are approximately 600 HSIs, defined as universities and colleges where at least a quarter of the full-time undergraduate student population is Hispanic.

Galindo-Elvira recounted his recent efforts to gather support for Biden, spending 49 hours in the Arizona heat, walking 101,000 steps, and knocking on 1,153 doors to gather signatures for his own campaign. He reported speaking to about 290 households, most of whom were Latino and many middle-aged, and found that they still believed in Biden and wanted him to win. “They want somebody that is going to be their champion,” he said. He added that some believe the push to remove Biden is not coming from the general populace but from other forces, yet they still support the President’s work.

Luis Sandoval, executive director of the Building Skills Partnership in California, highlighted the anxiety among Latino workers about the election rhetoric and the economy. His organization assists low-wage immigrant workers in skill-building and improving their quality of life. Sandoval stated that his group plans to encourage voter participation, although they cannot endorse a candidate. As a private citizen, he praised the Biden administration for being worker-friendly and including workers' voices in its labor strategy.

Trump's selection of Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate is viewed as an attempt to appeal to blue-collar workers. Meanwhile, the internal Democratic Party debate has created a tense atmosphere for Democratic convention delegates like Juanita Martinez of Eagle Pass, Texas. Martinez, the first Democratic convention delegate from Maverick County, has been inundated with questions about Biden’s future candidacy. Despite the mixed opinions she has encountered, she remains tentatively supportive of Biden, saying, “Up to now, yes, I’m with Biden and we’ll see what happens. It’s an interesting time to be a delegate.”