Puerto Rican delegates at the Democratic and Republican national conventions endorsed their respective presidential nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, despite changes in their parties’ official platforms regarding Puerto Rico’s status. The Democratic platform supports a bipartisan bill that would provide nonterritorial status options for Puerto Rico, while the Republican platform removed language supporting Puerto Rican statehood. The issue of Puerto Rico’s status is crucial for Puerto Rican voters in the mainland, where they can vote in U.S. elections, unlike residents on the island who are U.S. citizens but cannot vote for president.
The island’s status issue is contentious due to the divide between the pro-statehood New Progressive Party and the Popular Democratic Party, which supports the current territorial status. A smaller percentage supports the Puerto Rican Independence Party. Despite these differences, all Puerto Rican delegates at the Democratic convention supported Harris, with delegates from the New Progressive Party pushing for statehood during the event. At the Republican convention, delegates from the pro-statehood New Progressive Party continued to support Trump, even though the party platform did not include language supporting statehood for Puerto Rico.
Puerto Ricans have faced multiple crises in recent years, such as the botched federal response to Hurricane Maria, a financial crisis, and austerity measures imposed by a federally appointed oversight board. These events have led to a shift in how many Puerto Ricans view their current status, with support for statehood increasing. Both the New Progressive Party and the Popular Democratic Party still have significant support on the island, reflecting the ongoing debate over Puerto Rico’s political future.
