This just in from The Miami Herald:
“The Hispanic Republican political world is buzzing with talk that Puerto Rico’s governor, Luis Fortuño, has been in talks with Mitt Romney for an endorsement – and sources tell The Miami Herald he could swing his support as early as tomorrow in Orlando.”
Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño
The article continues:
Romney’s campaign wouldn’t comment.
Friday would be a perfect day for an endorsement for Romney, who’s attending the Hispanic Leadership Network forum tomorrow in Doral before he heads to Orlando – seat of Orange County, which has one of the largest Puerto Rican Republican communities in the state.
More than 21,000 Hispanic Republicans live in the county, about 11 percent of the registered GOP. Nearby Osceola County has more than 8,500 registered Hispanic Republicans – about 21 percent of the GOP. It’s unclear how many are of Puerto Rican descent.
Romney has scheduled a 6:15 p.m. press conference in Orlando. Said one Republican about a potential Fortuño endorsement: “This should happen.”
Said another: “It’s 99.9 percent going to happen.”
**Update Fortuño is coming to Florida tomorrow. He’ll host a 2 p.m. tour and press conference with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Commissioner Rebeca Sosa to discuss port security, drug trafficking and the U.S. Caribbean Border.
A Fortuño endorsement would be a coup purely from a media standpoint – it would guarantee high-profile, positive coverage and feed the Romney narrative of momentum.”
The jury is still out for us, since the Romney campaign might need to do a little more homework about how polarizing a politician Fortuño has become on the island. In addition, it is clear that Fortuño has actually benefited from an Obama administration the last few months, now that the US economy is improving and unemployment figures are decreasing on the mainland. Puerto Rico has seen two consecutive months of unemployment decreases for the first time in Fortuño’s administration. However, government jobs continue to be one of the largest employment sectors in Puerto Rico.
Finally, the question remains for Florida: with all the new arrivals coming from the island to the Sunshine State, is a Fortuño endorsement even going to get Romney anything?
The Romney camp is desperate for a win in Florida and may see Fortuño as useful — for the time being at least. Once the campaign moves out of Florida, Luisito will likely be excreted like last week’s mofongo. On the other hand, if the Romney people are seriously considering Fortuño as a running mate who will attract Latino voters, they are more clueless than Walt Disney’s Goofy.
TRUE!!!!
So during the debates, a woman representing Puerto Rico, asked the republican presidential candidates a question. Now I’m sitting on the edge of my seat hoping the question will be whether or not congress will honor the next referendum vote coming up in November. How disappointed I was when the same tired old question was whether or not Puerto Rico would some day become a state. Great. So the American perception of Puerto Rico is not that Puerto Ricans want to determine their own destiny no matter which way it may go, but when can “we” become a member of the world’s “grand old bank.” At a time when Americans are concerned about a growing national debt, the last thing American taxpayers want is another floundering economy to support.
Agree!
Puerto Rico is a floundering economy, in my opinion, because of failed realizations. We tend to see only a fish, and not the school of fish! Puerto Rico, independently of political status, could be better managed to produce wealth. It will take people with vision and true grit to perform. We keep electing officials that all they care about is their pockets! SHAME ON US! We have a great resource: our people! Most of us are leaving the sinking ship (like the captain of the Costa Concordia) because there are no incentives and the business as usual politiqueria. Enough of the excuse about the political status! Let’s get rid of the narco-thieves-legislators and their support system! We can do better. We have the most productive land in the Caribbean, yet we choose to plant cement. We could be the premier destination for tourism, we could even have petrol (oil) off our coast and we know we have copper ($3.90/pound as of 1/26/2012 on the LME (London Metal Exchange)) and other metals. We could even make paper out of plastic (www.yupo.com). But we keep relying on broken promises and definition of political status. You can disagree with me and that is fine. But soon we will not have a “nation” if we continue the business as usual politiqueria.
Yes! De acuerdo.
Angel PLa, Estoy con tigo. Por que somos muchos con capacidad,determinacion y Dignidad es que no somos un estado, gracias.