Puerto Rico Statehood Might Not Be a GOP Disaster Waiting To Happen
The island of Puerto Rico becoming a state might not lead to Democrats obtaining two additional senate seats, despite the party’s high hopes.
The U.S. House passed a bipartisan bill to put Puerto Rico’s territorial status up for a vote with three potential options: statehood, full independence, or sovereignty will full U.S. association. In a symbolic 2012 referendum, statehood received over 60% of the vote with the other two options included.
New York Democratic Reps. Nydia Velazquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have led the push for Puerto Rican self determination, which was included in the party’s 2020 election platform. Democratic proposals for Puerto Rico include large economic, education and climate plans for the island funded by the federal government.
.@AOC is presiding over the House vote on the Puerto Rico Status Act, which would give voters in the territory the choice between statehood, independence, or free association with the US. pic.twitter.com/GUMrBMKlmx
— bryan metzger (@metzgov) December 15, 2022
In contrast, South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham said Puerto Rican statehood “dilutes our power,” referring to a Republican senate majority. Graham’s statement came during a Nov. 7 rally for GOP candidate Herschel Walker before the 2022 midterm elections.
“We assume that Puerto Ricans are democrats given the historical relationship between Puerto Ricans living in different States and the Democratic Party. But this is not necessarily true for Puerto Ricans on the Island. There’s never been a high-quality survey that measures Puerto Ricans’ ideology or their position on different issues so we can gauge what ideology they will lean toward once a state,” Mayra Velez Sarrano, a political scientist at the University of Puerto Rico told the Daily Caller. (Read more from “Puerto Rico Statehood Might Not Be a GOP Disaster Waiting To Happen” HERE)
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