By: Isaiah Robinson
HOUSTON — Former vice president and 2020 presidential hopeful, now frontrunner, Joe Biden, is leading the Democratic race after a strategically planned visit to Texas a day before Super Tuesday.
With Texas among one of the key states to acquire in the race for delegates, in addition to the need to attract both young and African American voters, Biden’s visit to Texas Southern University could have potentially helped secure his win in Harris County.
Biden was already coming off a resounding win Saturday in the South Carolina primary.
The TSU rally held Monday began with a performance from Houston’s Combined Gospel Choirs and the TSU “Ocean of Soul” Marching Band, introductory speeches from the 72nd Mrs. TSU – senior communications major Adunola Osinuga – and Texas political leaders Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, and Sens. John Whitmire and Carol Alvarado.
“We want to ensure that when we change the White House in 2020, it will be the kind of leadership that knows about civil rights, protection of women and about the rights to vote,” Jackson-Lee said.
“Joe Biden has made it clear, not through his campaign, but through decades of service putting HBCUs at the top of his priority list,” Osinuga said in her speech.
Biden spoke about supporting and funding of HBCUs, student debt, health care, the necessity for a democrat who will meet the needs of the people and the importance of faith and forgiveness.
“The decisions democrats make tomorrow and the next few weeks will determine what we stand for, believe in, where we’re going and how we’re going to get there,” Biden said.
During his speech, Biden made a huge pledge.
“I promise you as president, I am going to fund HBCUs by $70 billion over the next 10 years,” he said. “Everyone forgets why HBCUs came along in the first place. You weren’t allowed to enter any other university and the consequence is you don’t have the significant endowments of other competing public institutions. This will be able to put many HBCUs in position to compete.”
Supporters say they trust him.
“He’s believable because of his connection with us and the deeper insight that he has compared to the other candidates,” said retired teacher and TSU alumna Florence Coleman. “Joe has been in this game with us. Overall, I think he’s someone we can rely on.”
“We saw the power that voters of color have in South Carolina. We have the power to swing this entire race toward a candidate that can beat Donald Trump,” Osinuga said. – AANI
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