New Mexico Republicans should support Statehood for Puerto Rico
A new opinion piece in the Santa Fe New Mexican makes the argument that Republicans in New Mexico should support Puerto Rico statehood.
“At first glance, New Mexico and the Island of Puerto Rico seem to have little in common,” the author, says. “But beyond the obvious geographic and cultural differences, Puerto Rico and New Mexico share a long and complicated history with suffrage and voter disenfranchisement.”
Contreras explains that Puerto Rico voters cannot vote in presidential elections and do not have full representation in Congress. He points out that fear of Democratic voters is one reason Republicans don’t always support statehood. Contreras disagrees.
“For starters, Puerto Rico has a long history of electing conservative and Republican elected officials. They include folks like Gov. Luis Fortuño, who cut taxes, embraced pro-growth economic policies and supported conservative policies while governing ‘La Isla del Encanto’ from 2009-13. And in recent years, Puerto Rico’s legislature has enacted legislation promoting the sanctity of life by affirming the rights of the unborn and traditional definitions of gender.”
“Republicans should see right through the Democratic Party’s strategy and push ahead for statehood without trepidation,” he says. “Conservative ideas have universal appeal. The ideas of hard work and limited government resonate. In fact, the Wall Street Journal recently published a story showing strong Hispanic support for Republicans. Instead of fearing our country’s changing demographics, conservatives and Republicans should welcome Puerto Rico as our 51st state with open arms.”