EXCLUSIVE: Latino organizer of Utah Trump fundraiser says Democrats ‘pay lip service’ while GOP values ‘resonate with Hispanics’

Quezada said the event raised over $5 million, including in-hand and pledged donations. His parents escaped from socialist Chile years ago to come to America and he said that Trump represents the traditional values that many Hispanics hold dear, especially those who have fled communist and socialist nations.

"Democrats have done an incredibly good job convincing Hispanics, paying lip service to us, saying that it's better for us to stay on the reservation with them because they'll protect us and they'll provide for us," Quezada said. He remarked that although his family benefitted from social programs as a child, that they should not be abused and added, “Given our traditional values, we’re very much aligned with the Republican Party and President Trump." Quezada added that the message the GOP brings is one of prosperity, emphasized that message "resonates with a lot of Hispanics."

On the topic of border security, Quezada revealed to TPM that on the day of the fundraiser, he had spent the morning going to a funeral for a childhood friend that died from a fentanyl overdose. Quezada added that the Biden-Harris administration has allowed illicit drugs to proliferate into the country across the southern border, wreaking havoc in Hispanic communities.

“The day we hosted President Trump, unfortunately, I spent that morning at a funeral where I had a friend who had overdosed from drugs that were being brought across the border.” Quezada added that criminal illegal immigrants often won't go into predominantly white neighborhoods, but instead will go into Hispanic neighborhoods first to "harass us, intimidate us and push their intimidation into extortion and racketeering."

Quezada also shared a message to members of Church of Latter-day Saints who may be hesitant to vote for Trump in the upcoming election. In 2016, Utah had been one of the red states that was resistant to Trump, with independent candidate Evan McMullin getting a good share of the Utah vote when Trump was first elected.

Quezada said that the "times are requiring us to call upon leaders that know how to fight. How to push back on, not just bullies, but terrorists. Flat-out terrorists who try to come in and destroy our communities." He added that if some Latter-day Saints do have issues with the personalities of candidates, that they should "focus on policy" as well as "party values" in order to make their decision come November.

During his fundraiser speech, the GOP nominee emphasized his respect for Latter-day Saints and noted their importance as a voter bloc. According to Axios, the traditionally conservative group of Latter-day Saint voters could swing the election in favor of Trump or Harris because of their impact in Arizona.

The GOP nominee also tasked Utah organizers of the event with executing a voting initiative for Latter-day Saints supporting Trump in Arizona and Nevada. The initiative is still developing, however, hundreds of Utahns and local congregation members have signed up to volunteer for the ground game work in getting out the vote.

The fundraiser was held at a hanger near Salt Lake City International airport. Around 1,000 people were in attendance. Utah Governor Spencer Cox introduced the GOP nominee right before Trump gave his speech. Additionally, some in the US House delegation from Utah attended, including Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens.

Doug Quezada and Donald Trump at the Sept. 14 fundraiser in Salt Lake City

Several of the Gold Star family members from the Afghanistan withdrawal, who gifted Trump a specialty-made knife during his speech, were also present at the fundraiser. They were honored at the beginning of the event by radio host Glenn Beck.

See the whole interview with Quezada below: