Hillary Clinton targeted suburban families at a Loudon County, Va., roundtable discussion, cultivating a key constituency she hopes will deliver for her against Donald Trump in November.
During her stop at a coffeehouse in the affluent suburb of Washington, D.C., Clinton discussed the importance of paid family leave, early childhood education and equal pay for women. The Democratic front-runner discussed many of these issues while contrasting her plans with Trump’s.
“We need to get laws updated … and to keep the drumbeat going about how unfair this is,” Clinton said of the gender pay gap. “We just can’t let people think this isn’t a real issue.”
Her campaign stop Monday represents a clear pivot to the general election, as Virginia will be a crucial swing state in November. Loudon County just narrowly voted for Barack Obama in 2012 but then elected Republican Barbara Comstock to Congress two years later. The suburban county is home to many young families and professional women, two of Clinton’s key demographics.
According to a recent poll, 70 percent of married women have a negative view of Donald Trump, a figure the Clinton campaign will continue to capitalize on as she nears the general election.
Although she has yet to secure the Democratic nomination, Clinton is hundreds of pledged delegates ahead of Bernie Sanders and is on a path to be named her party’s nominee in July. According to a RealClearPolitics average of general election matchup polls, Clinton leads Trump 47.3-40.8.
