Arizona restaurant owner Ray Flores credits President Donald Trump for a new law lowering taxes on tips and overtime, claiming they created a “really robust hiring fair” compared to previous hiring fairs.
“I do believe that those messages of some kind of tax relief created some of this,” Flores told CNN anchor John King.
But King reports it is a risky time to open a new restaurant with higher beef prices and an “unpredictable economy”. The risks could do damage to Trump and his party, particularly in this swing district in the swing state of Arizona. Flores, for example, was not ready to proclaim victory for Republicans just yet.
READ MORE: The one big reason why most Republicans are acting irrationally — without consequences
“I think it’s difficult to give a good answer right now.,” Flores said. “We’re in the middle of the off-season. I think it’s probably a question that needs to be asked a year from today.”
King reports Republicans are hoping in next year’s midterms to continue their important gains among Latino voters. There’s a special election in the neighboring 7th Congressional District, which is overwhelmingly Democratic, but also 60 percent Hispanic.
Claudio Rodriguez runs a food bank that serves both the 6th and 7th Congressional Districts and tells CNN he’s already dealing with some “Trump changes” of his own.
“I believe these are from Mexico,” Rodriguez said, gesturing to a box of tomatoes. “That’s going to change pretty soon with the tariffs and all that. So, we’re going to be definitely seeing less produce come in.”
READ MORE: ‘What could possibly go wrong?’ Outrage as Trump admin recruits teens to join ‘the Gestapo’
But King reports even bigger changes to Republicans’ “political fate” down the road with Trump’s budget law cutting Medicaid and food assistance programs critical to the working families who rely on Rodriguez’ food bank. Rodriguez says he wrote his congressman on behalf of the food bank, urging him to vote ‘no’ on Trump’s budget bill, but the congressman voted for it anyway.
“He believes that he’s attacking [Medicaid] fraud, the abuse, the scamming. But when we come here every day on the line, we don’t really see any of that,” said Rodriguez. “And if there is one or two people that do that, why punish the rest? Why punish the seniors? Why punish the kids, the veterans? We have a lot of veterans that come through here.”
Rodriguez noted Trump and Republicans made sure to allow the worst of his budget bill to kick in after midterms.
“This is one of the few actual 50/50 districts,” King reported. “And, again …why does Trump want five more seats out of Texas? Why does Trump want another seat or two out of Indiana and any other red state? Because … Donald Trump’s approval rating and Donald Trump’s policies are going to decide what happens in that district.”
READ MORE: ‘Cold reality for GOP’ as Trump signs ‘political death warrants’ for blue state Republicans
Watch the video below, or by clicking here.
– YouTube youtu.be