Just within the past two hours, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio picked up the endorsements of several key Puerto Rican leaders.
And while the island commonwealth doesn’t have a vote in the Electoral College, its residents do have a say in the primary process. Its winner-take-all primary will be held Sunday, March 6, and suddenly, Rubio has an inside shot at picking up 23 delegates.
Endorsing Marco Tuesday morning were:
- Luis Fortuño, who served as governor of Puerto Rico from 2009-2012, represented Puerto Rico in Congress as resident commissioner from 2005-2009, and is currently an RNC national committeeman
- Jenniffer Gonzalez, minority leader of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, RNC chairperson and former speaker of the House
- Zoraida Fonalledas, RNC national committeewoman
- Republican fundraiser Jose Carrion
“Washington today is plagued by the same problems we see in San Juan: politicians who tax too much, spend too much and lack the courage to solve the great challenges of our time,” Fortuño said. “Marco Rubio would change that. He can inspire us to greatness, and has the judgment, vision and strong values to be a great president.”
The former governor said Rubio can be trusted to deliver real results, because he’s an ideas man with a relentless drive to make a difference in the lives of real people. As American citizens, Puerto Ricans deserve better than the failed leadership they’ve gotten during the last eight years, he added.
“With Marco Rubio, the Republican Party of this New American Century will demonstrate that it recognizes the many Hispanic citizens who share our party’s conservative ideals and who understand the value of work, family, community and church,” Gonzalez said. “These citizens seek a leader like Marco who will energize constituencies that in the past have been left behind. Marco speaks to the young, to women, to the unemployed and (to) those for whom equality is a promise not yet achieved, including the people of Puerto Rico who seek the tools to improve our island economy, create jobs and achieve full equality as Americans.”
A win in Puerto Rico won’t count toward the eight-state delegate majorities required to be eligible for nomination at the GOP national convention. But it would likely help Rubio in other states with large Hispanic populations.
The endorsements join a groundswell of new backers the Florida senator has picked up in the past 24 hours. They include:
U.S. Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.)—”He has all the qualities needed to unite our fractured nation and address the major domestic and foreign policy challenges that confront America because of Barack Obama’s failed leadership.”
U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.)—”Marco understands the American Dream because he has lived it, and he knows that for future generations of Americans to have a shot at that dream, we need a new-generation of conservative leadership in Washington.”
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.)—”After eight years of a president more focused on highlighting our differences than on solving problems, we have an opportunity to elect a true leader who can unite our country.”
U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)—”Marco has a unique ability to effectively communicate detailed, conservative plans in a way that attracts people who do not normally vote for Republicans.”
U.S. Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah)
U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah)
U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah)
U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah)
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson—”Not only is Marco uniquely capable of rallying Americans behind a conservative vision for the future, but he also fully understands what it takes to keep us safe in this dangerous world.”
U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.)—”America needs a president who will take on the status quo, establishment and entrenched interests that are standing in the way of a better future for our people, and Marco will be that kind of president.”
U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.)—”In an election where serious solutions are seriously lacking, Marco Rubio has proven that he can inspire more than just anger in Americans who are looking for an alternative to the status quo.”
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.)—”From his days as an intern in my Miami Congressional office to his service in the Florida House and the U.S. Senate, he has shown that he will enthusiastically tackle the problems we face with innovative policy proposals.”
U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.)—”From our days in the Florida legislature, I’ve known Marco Rubio to be a principled man committed to public service. This commitment and his vision for the future of this great nation make him the strongest candidate for the Republican nomination.”
U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.)—”Republicans deserve a nominee who respects the American people, defends our constitutional principles, and can bridge the partisan divide in Washington.”
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.)—”Marco Rubio has been an unparalleled policy innovator as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and his optimistic leadership in the U.S. Senate has inspired Floridians in particular, and Americans nationwide. He will be a president that unites our country and moves us into the better future we deserve.”
See an error in this article?
To contact us or to submit an article
