By Gloria Ogbonna
Puerto Rico, with its 23 delegates, holds a noteworthy position in the 2024 race for the Republican presidential nomination, surpassing states like New Hampshire, Delaware, and Maine in delegate count.
Despite its late primary date, the island can play a crucial role in helping a GOP candidate secure the necessary 1,234 delegates to clinch the nomination.
While Puerto Rico doesn’t typically garner early attention in the race due to its post-Super Tuesday primary date, it has witnessed visits from presidential candidates, including Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who was the sole GOP candidate to visit the island before dropping out of the race.
Past candidates like George H.W. Bush, Mitt Romney, Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama have all visited Puerto Rico during their primary campaigns. Notably, each of these candidates secured a victory in Puerto Rico and expressed support for the island’s top issue: statehood.
Puerto Rico, with its 3.2 million population, is distinctive as the only U.S. jurisdiction that is predominantly Hispanic and Spanish-speaking. While its citizens cannot vote in presidential elections due to its territorial status, they participate in the primaries. However, Puerto Rican political affiliations revolve around the issue of statehood or independence, making it less connected to U.S. party politics.
The island’s three main political parties reflect these choices: the New Progressive Party supports statehood, the Popular Democratic Party favors territorial ties, and the Puerto Rican Independence Party seeks independence. A non-binding 2020 referendum revealed a divided population, with 52% in favor of statehood and 47% against it.
Efforts to grant Puerto Ricans a vote on statehood versus independent status have seen some bipartisan support in the U.S., but a Senate consensus remains elusive.
Despite the potential impact of Puerto Rico’s delegates, primary turnout on the island has historically been low. In 2012, around 126,000 people participated in the GOP primary, while turnout dropped significantly in 2016, with fewer than 40,000 voters. The primary date, separate from local elections, likely contributed to the decline.
Puerto Rico’s open primary allows any registered voter to participate, and it follows a winner-takes-all format, similar to many Republican primary states. To increase engagement, Republican candidates may need to address Puerto Rican issues, including statehood and the island’s economic challenges, exacerbated by natural disasters and the pandemic.
One potential motivator for GOP candidates is the party’s recent efforts to appeal to Hispanic voters. Puerto Rican Republican Party Chairman Ángel Cintrón believes that winning Puerto Rico could resonate with other Hispanic voters in the U.S., as the island’s population is entirely Hispanic. He suggests that candidates who engage with Puerto Rican voters and their concerns may boost voter participation.
While Puerto Rico’s late primary date may not make it a barometer for the entire race, it can hold electoral weight and influence the GOP nomination process in a closely contested battle. The date for the 2024 Republican presidential primary in Puerto Rico has not been set, but it could become a decisive factor for candidates aiming to secure the nomination.