It's Time for Statehood in Puerto Rico

Recently, I read an editorial supporting Puerto Rico’s statehood, which I strongly support. I appreciate that the piece noted Puerto Ricans are increasingly supporting Republicans, which challenges conventional wisdom that Puerto Rico statehood would add Democratic-leaning seats to Congress and the Electoral College. Today, statehood is an issue that both parties should get behind.

In the 2024 election, Puerto Ricans showed up for the Republican Party. Puerto Rico’s newly elected governor, Jenniffer González-Colón, is a Republican, an ally of President Trump, and an advocate for statehood. Puerto Rico’s Shadow Senator, Zoraida Buxó Santiago, is a Republican who endorsed Trump, too. In addition to voting for Republicans, the majority of the island voted for statehood status. Puerto Ricans have now chosen statehood the last four times they voted on their status.

That’s why it’s strange that Javier Hernandez wrote an anti-statehood op-ed in the same newspaper arguing that the incoming Republican majority Congress would never support Puerto Rico statehood. Given Puerto Ricans’ recent support for Trump and Republicans, I think many Republicans feel differently. Hernandez also questions the validity of Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood vote in 2024 because some voters left the question blank, but he fails to recognize that a pro-statehood candidate won the governorship.

Granting Puerto Rico statehood is not just fair—it’s now in the interest of Republican voters. It’s time for both parties to support statehood for Puerto Rico.

 Erika Benfield