Who Is Puerto Rico? A Pre-Primary Tour
Politics are a fundamental part of life for the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. But as one island-based reporter says, Puerto Ricans are growing weary of being able to vote in the presidential primary but having no official role in the actual election.
"They are very passionate about the politics we do down here," says Joel Ortiz, who writes for the daily newspaper, El Nuevo Dia. Turnouts for elections in Puerto Rico are higher than the U.S. average, ranging from 60 percent to 80 percent.
This Sunday may be an exception, Ortiz says. The residents of Puerto Rico have been U.S. citizens since 1917. There are 63 delegates up for grabs. Both Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have dozens of staffers on the island. But because of a long-standing rule on the books, come November, Puerto Ricans who vote in the critical Sunday primary will have no official voice in the final decision-making.
"That's the main problem here in Puerto Rico," Ortiz says. "They're getting to the people," he says of the candidates, citing high attendance at campaign events. But Ortiz says that masks a deeper anger about November that many say will keep them home Sunday.
The issue that could draw voters despite their frustration is the matter of Puerto Rican statehood. Ortiz says half of Puerto Ricans generally say they want to pursue new status — and the other half generally prefers the status quo. Obama has said he will support any decisions the residents make, whereas Clinton has said she is committed to resolving the issue in her first term.
Ortiz says the other major topic of concern in Puerto Rico — as in the rest of the United States — is the economy. "Things are very rough down here," he says, pointing to rising costs for bread, gasoline and rice. "Even the most basic things that you feed to your family are going up through the roof."
Of the two candidates, Ortiz says, Clinton has the stronger relationship with the island. "She is in the lead," Ortiz says. "She's a senator from a state that has a great Puerto Rican population. She's been very close to the Puerto Rican community, both here and there."
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RACHEL MARTIN, host:
So, for months now, we've heard pundits and politicians throwing Puerto Rico around as the symbol of the seemingly never-ending story that is this year's Democratic presidential primary race, as in, this thing could go all the way to Puerto Rico. Well, indeed, it has come to that. This Sunday, the people of Puerto Rico will go to the polls to cast their vote for the Democratic nominee for president.
There are 63 delegates up for grabs. Both the Clinton and Obama camps have dozens of staffers on the ground trying to get out vote in Puerto Rico. So, as we've been doing now for months, we take this chance to focus in on a state of the Union. In this case, not a state, but a territory. I talked with Joel Ortiz, a reporter for the daily newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, in San Juan, about America's unofficial 51st state.
Joel, first off, I want to start with a little history lesson for those who don't know. Puerto Rico is a territory. That we know. Residents have been U.S. citizens, though, since 1917. They can vote in primaries, but not in general elections, right?
Mr. JOEL ORTIZ (Reporter, El Nuevo Dia Newspaper): Yes, that's correct.
MARTIN: And how does that affect turnout in the primaries? If people don't have an investment in the larger general election in the fall, do they still turn out for primaries?
Mr. ORTIZ: Well, I think that's the main problem here in Puerto Rico right now. The candidates are here. They're getting to the people. But the majority of people are rejecting or saying they won't vote, because it won't matter. Because once they decide the one that's going to be the candidate, they're not allowed to vote for him. So, many of the people are using that as an argument to not go to the primaries on next Sunday.
MARTIN: And this is unusual, right? Because, as I understand it, Puerto Ricans are typically very politically active, very engaged in local politics.
Mr. ORTIZ: Oh, yes, they are. They are very passionate about the politics we down - we do down here. A great part of the Puerto Ricans are saying that they're not going to participate.
MARTIN: There has been a lot of activity, though, right? Both Senators Clinton and Obama have been campaigning there. Are people not turning out to those campaign events?
Mr. ORTIZ: The people are turning out, but I think it's more of the person than the message, right?
MARTIN: So, they're turning out to see the - almost the celebrity of the politicians?
Mr. ORTIZ: You will - you can say that. A great part of the people that's going are going in that line of - thinking of meeting this personality.
MARTIN: One of the biggest issues on the island of Puerto Rico in the territory is that question of statehood. I understand that this is a very divisive issue, right? Some people, almost half, say they want to pursue statehood, that this is a better idea. And the other half says no, we want to stay as a commonwealth. How do the candidates, Clinton and Obama, come down on this issue?
Mr. ORTIZ: Obama, for example, said on Saturday that he will support any decision the Puerto Ricans make in the future. Meanwhile, Mrs. Clinton said yesterday that she's committed to resolve the status issue on the island in her first term in the White House, if she should get there. So, as you see, it has been a pretty big issue of the visit of the two candidates to the island in the past few days.
MARTIN: What other issues are important in Puerto Rico? What are the issues that drive voters to the polls, or at - particularly in this Democratic primary?
Mr. ORTIZ: I think, in this moment, one of the biggest issues is the economy. In the United States, as in all over the world, things are very rough down here, and I think the economy, healthcare, education, are the main things. But I think the economy has a bigger role than the other ones. Gasoline is going up - it's going the roof- to the roof, the prices.
MARTIN: Mm hm.
Mr. ORTIZ: We have a very high prices on things like bread, like rice. Everything is going - the prices on everything, even the most basic things that you feed to your family, is going up to the roof, the prices.
MARTIN: So, is there a clear frontrunner right now in Puerto Rico, between Obama and Clinton? Clinton - Hillary Clinton has a, kind of, relationship with Puerto Rico. When Bill Clinton was in office, she spent time there. Is she enjoying a little bit of a lead in the primary race there?
Mr. ORTIZ: I think she is in the lead in - here in the island. She is a senator for a state that has a great Puerto Rican population. That is New York.
MARTIN: Yeah.
Mr. ORTIZ: So, she's been very close to the Puerto Rican community, both over there and here in Puerto Rico.
MARTIN: What about race and gender issues? In Puerto Rico, are those things polarizing?
Mr. ORTIZ: I think not. Here in Puerto Rico, we have black people. We have white people. We're a racial mixture here. And about the gender, we already had a woman as a governor here. So, I don't think that that will influence much the turnout of the voting.
MARTIN: The vote is coming up this Sunday, June 1st. Joel Ortiz is a reporter for the daily paper, El Nuevo Dia, in San Juan. Joel, thanks very much. We appreciate your time.
Mr. ORTIZ: Thank you for calling me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
