Puerto Rican delegates at the Democratic and Republican national conventions supported their respective presidential candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, regardless of changes made to the official party platforms on Puerto Rico. The Democratic Party now explicitly supports a bipartisan bill that includes nonterritorial status options for Puerto Rico, while the Republican Party removed language supporting statehood, focusing instead on protecting Americans in the territories.
The issue of Puerto Rico’s status is important to Puerto Rican voters, who are U.S. citizens but can’t vote for president while living on the island. Despite divisions among local political parties on the island, all Puerto Rican delegates supported their party’s nominee at the conventions.
The support for the current territorial status in Puerto Rico has been eroding due to various crises, including a botched federal response to Hurricane Maria and financial troubles. However, the pro-statehood New Progressive Party and the Popular Democratic Party still have significant support on the island.
Both parties have allowed Puerto Ricans to participate in presidential primaries and send delegates to national conventions, even if they can’t vote in presidential elections. Ultimately, Puerto Ricans living on the mainland U.S. play a crucial role in shaping the political landscape regarding Puerto Rico’s future relationship with the United States.
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