One way to find out what people are talking about is to look at what they’re searching for online. Google tells us that there are some topics that people are looking for more often than usual right now, and they all have one thing in common: they all focus on Puerto Rico statehood.
- “referendum on Puerto Rico statehood” is up 80%
- “Puerto Rico statehood poll” is up 60%
- “Puerto Rico statehood referendum” is up 40%
- “statehood for Puerto Rico” is up 30%
Why is the focus on Puerto Rico statehood?
George Laws Garcia thinks is about the midterm elections coming up in November. “The newly elected Congress will have the power to revive the debate on Puerto Rico’s status in Washington,” he wrote in El Nuevo Dia. “Its members will determine whether bills advance, whether public hearings are held, and whether the statehood discussion remains on the national agenda. In those decisions, the vote of Puerto Ricans in the states can be decisive.”
He also notes that both President Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris have recently mentioned Puerto Rico statehood. As leaders of the national political parties, they’ve brought the subject into the forefront of the political conversation as campaigning ramps up ahead of the midterm elections.
There’s a focus on Puerto Rican voters, too
Politico wrote recently, “Democratic Latino strategists are trying to clue their party in on an overlooked voter that could unlock a Democratic majority — and it cuts through the cycle’s biggest races: Pay attention to Puerto Ricans…it’s Puerto Rican voters who can be found across some of the biggest toss-up races for both the House and the Senate.
“You’re talking about a set of Puerto Rican voters that literally alone potentially flip which party controls Congress,” Rafael Collazo told Politico’s reporters. Thousands of Puerto Rican voters live in swing states and especially in some of the districts that political pundits are watching as potential seats to flip. Pennsylvania, Florida, and even Iowa have enough Puerto Rican voters to turn the tide in either direction.
What’s the connection?
Stateside Puerto Rican voters can vote for Congressional representatives in November, but those living on the Island cannot. Puerto Rico has no senators, and no voting Members of Congress. So why would candidates for offices in the states care about Puerto Rico’s political status?
Because the Puerto Rican voters they represent care about Puerto Rico statehood.
Over two thirds of Puerto Rican voters — and a majority of all Hispanic voters — in a recent national survey said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports Puerto Rico statehood. This is an issue that really matters to this important voter group in the states.
In 2024, Puerto Rico elected a Republican governor who supported statehood. In a straw poll at the same time, they voted for Kamala Harris for president. These votes didn’t count, because residents of Puerto Rico can’t vote in presidential elections. But they were made just after a comedian at a Trump rally said Puerto Rico was “a floating pile of garbage.” It wasn’t a vote for a Democrat; it was a vote against someone trash-talking Puerto Rico.
Midterm candidates should learn from this. We’re not saying they should talk about Puerto Rico statehood to get votes. We’re saying they should learn about Puerto Rico statehood: why it is the best way for Puerto Ricans to gain equality and justice, why it fulfills the foundational values of our nation, and why it’s a matter of national security. Then they can talk sincerely and with knowledge about Puerto Rico statehood…and do their part to make it happen.
No responses yet