Cape Canaveral, Florida (CNN) - Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno has endorsed Mitt Romney, in a boon to the GOP candidate's efforts to woo Florida's Latino voters ahead of Tuesday's primary.
Puerto Rico's top official will campaign with Romney at an event Friday evening in Orlando.
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Earlier in the day, Romney said he would support a move by Puerto Rico towards statehood, and referenced Fortuno's "passionate" support for that process.
"I expect the people of Puerto Rico will decide, like he feels, to become a state," Romney told a cheering audience at the Hispanic Leadership Network conference. "I can tell you that I will work with him that if that vote comes out in favor of statehood we will go through the process in Washington to provide statehood to Puerto Rico."
Puerto Rican voters will weigh in on a referendum regarding possible statehood in November.
In a statement, Fortuno, who has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate, said Romney had shown his private sector record "can be applied to all challenges."
"Mitt Romney is the one candidate who has the record, leadership, experience, and pro-growth plan to continue the course of private-sector job creation we've begun in Puerto Rico and provide economic stability for generations," Fortuno said in a statement.
Puerto Rico's Republican caucuses will be held March 18, when 23 delegates are at stake. However, Puerto Rico is not allocated any electoral votes in November's election.
The announcement would clearly be a disappointment to some - at Thursday's CNN Florida Republican Presidential Debate, another candidate, Rick Santorum, cited his friendship with Fortuno.
"I will give a shout-out to Governor Luis Fortuno, who is a good friend of mine," Santorum said. "I know him and his family, we have known each other for many years, we actually used to go to church together."
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Statehood? Didn't Mitt Romney criticize Gingrich in last night's debate about how politicians go around to each state and say exactly the things that the people in that state want to hear?
Romney all the way.
now watch and see if the GOP base is against statehood for Puerto Rico if Mitt will change his mind again.
Go Rommney 2012....THE ONLY CANDIDATE WILL BRING AMERICA TO ITS VERY BEST!!!!
Wait, let me do the rednecked, xenophobics job for them - why do we care who this illegal Mexican endorses anyway? Now go do my lawn.The grass under the trailer is getting a little long.
Carries zero weight in the final analysis.
ROMNEY ! The man with millions. The man who knows how to work an economy, the man that will have america a a good roll in 2013 trough 2020...
Floridans don't give your blind trust to Romney....!!! so what that Puerto Rico is for Mitt...maybe he should move there...!
Puerto Rico can't vote...who cares who he backs?
Be careful what you wish for, Mitt. PR will go blue, so thanks for the votes. While you're at it, make DC a state then.
Statehood is a good idea if they want it, They have been a territory for many years, like Hawaii and Alaska.
Having lived in Puerto Rico for several years, it's a wonderful place but the people there have little in common with the mainland – theirs is a Spanish heritage with virtually no Anglo influence. Plus it is a heavily socialized society where over 30% of the people work for government in one form or another, and people expect the government to provide for them (and the US taxpayers provide much of that support) – so it's not exactly a good sign that Puerto Rico's governor endorses Mitt – it just means he thinks they will continue to get a free ride on the gravy train from him.
I'll vote for Bonzo the Chimp if he is running against the part time professor in the white house right now.
Fortuno is a star in Puerto Rico, enjoying broad popularity. His endorsement of Romney along with the timing here is great to see.
Mitt loves Latinos... They keep the gardens at all of his homes really nice!
How about telling the readers about what a conservative farce Puerto Rico's gov't is right now and how it's causing all sorts of problems and unrest? No? Just want to be lazy, do no research, report only on the sensationalizable red meat and collect your ad revenues? Figures. "American journalism" is an oxymoron.
Puerto Rico? Not a good thing for Mitt Romney.
Come on out Mittens Kittens... Don't worry, its Obama for 4 mo years.. Deal with it.
I admit to being baffled by this.
"Statehood? Didn't Mitt Romney criticize Gingrich in last night's debate about how politicians go around to each state and say exactly the things that the people in that state want to hear?"
Well, it's kindof funny, because as I understand it, the democratic parties in Puerto Rico are actually the ones who want to maintain and take back as much of Puerto Rico's sovereignty as an independent nation as is possible. As much as the conservative rabble and misinformed base likes to blather about fearing the "new world order" and "globalization, one world gov't," they're supporting the people who actually want and are working towards that: those who support the unrestrained randian, free market brain fartery pushed by conservatives and libertarians. It's just that in their version...and the version PR conservatives glom onto as well, which is why they suck up to the GOP and 'Murkin corporations, will result in the evisceration of actual gov't and hand all power to global corporations. We innovated as a society and came up with the concept of separation of church and state a couple hundred years ago and it was a huge part of what has made us successful in protecting, maintaining and growing civil rights, freedoms and liberties as we have. Our generation is faced with a similar choice and lesson, but so far we're failing miserably at it: when will we learn (or will we ever learn) that the same "wall of separation' needs to be erected between corporations and state? Those who say "get gov't out of the way of business" have it all backwards. GET BUSINESS OUR OF THE WAY OF GOVERNANCE.
don't be stupid. the governor is only one delegate vote, he can control 2 more = 3 delegates. the other 20 come from the caucus. the governor like usual will make a stupid mistake since puertoricans are always in the wrong side of the fence. it is ron paul who is for state rights. – the president has no issue with the puertorican status – is congress. the caucus in puertorico will go for ron paul – ron paul is the only one that can give puerto rico what it needs. puertoricans cannot afford statehood, they will continue to be beggars to the administration. ron paul is for state rights – if puertoricans make the mistake of going with romney – tough luck.
Headline is misleading and incorrect. One person, who has interest in becoming a vice-presidential nominee, supports Romney. It hardly represents a ringing endorsement of the population or even the Republican members of Puerto Rico.
Why would any Latino support the teapublican clowns who would cut your mom and dads soc sec Medicare, medicade and food stamps and deport your families??????
Looks like Karl Rove is working lots of overtime to keep his Plan to Elect the Next Neocon Robot from running off the rails. The favors and cash changing hands behind the scenes must be phenomenal.
In Puerto Rico people HATE Luis Fortuño. He's got no chance of reelection in december.
Oh, romney fight for Puerto Rican statehood. See how long the baggies support you.
Vamos Romney
...and we care about this...why?
Romney's concern for Puerto Rico is as big as the delegates he may end up getting, and no more. But is just fine with me because Obama is going to win again.
Money can't buy everything, that's true
But what it can't buy, Mitt can't use
Big whoop! It is a meaningless endorsement from an insignificant, on his way out the door politician who is not liked or respected.
His endorsement and $2.00 will buy you a cafe con leche.
just say anything!
"i'll make puerto rico a state."
sounds like an episode of LIE TO ME
Namejkane fl said:
"Why would any Latino support the teapublican clowns who would cut your mom and dads soc sec Medicare, medicade and food stamps and deport your families??????"
Well said!!! or is it just another thought from a mentally ill liberal???
Now show me your green card!!!
Gov Luis Ortuno should look in the mirror. The GOP/Tea Party does not look like you or the people you represent.
Puerto Rico will hold a Republican PRIMARY, not a caucus. It will be held on March 18. CNN should verify that. And Luis Fortuño's rising in polls here in PR, he is not HATED as many opponents of the colonialist and pro-territorial status party want to falsely show. Fortuño will win in 2012, for sure. Now, once again, PR will hold Republican primaries, not caucuses.
I used to say that I would vote for any of the republican candidates against Obama, but I am rapidly souring towards Romney. I've never held him in high esteem, but his slick methods are really beginning to turn me away to the point that I am seriously thinking that I will not vote for him if he is the candidate. He will do or say anything to get elected as if his election is more important than the real issues that our nation faces. He's another Bill Clinton – way to interested in his own accomplishments and out of touch. Santorum, Paul or Gingrich are all much preferable than Romney. If Romney wins the nomination, I hope Paul goes third party. I am no Ron Paul fan, but I will vote for him over Bill Clinton Jr.
Namejkane fl
Why would any Latino support the teapublican clowns who would cut your mom and dads soc sec Medicare, medicade and food stamps and deport your families??????
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
The only President to ever cut Medicare is Obama. He signed the bill. Republicans have passed a bill in the House to save Medicare. The Democrats don't really care enough to do that kind of work. Look beyond the rhetoric and see what they are actually doing. They have had plenty of opportunities to walk the talk but have not performed.
Bonzo the chimp already won chump. We called him reagan. You remember him right? Hes the one that started the downfall of the middle class and the financial problems we have today. The part time professor might go back to chicago but it will be for a big party after he wins in Nov. Now go back to fox news you brainwashed twit.
Does free universal health care like Massachusetts have anything to do with it?
Fortuño took a terrible fiscal crisis from negligent past administrations and backed his Tea Party rhetoric with action. I live here, I know. A large pharmacutical industry that once thrived and provided jobd, good jobs, to boricuas began to vanish amidst silly regulations, over bearing labor laws and taxation. And the size of government was a joke.
We're beginning to see the fruits of the necessary action. Fortuño is gutsy and conviction led (not polls). He'd make a great VP (better than Palin) and I pray we get to keep him another four years here on the island so hell enjoy the fruits of his labor.
LOL. Cubans/Mexican Americans in FL and Puerto Ricans really don't get along. Don't know why people think that all hispanics think/vote the same. Thought we learned our lesson about that in Vietnam. Anyway, I guess Santorum isn't that good a friend of the gov afterall!! Santorum should have said he would support statehood last night. Then, the gov would have endorsed him. Boy, this endorsement is going to be "aaaawkward" when President Obama wins re-election in Nov!!!
Who cares. Everyone knows the PR governor is part of the DC insider republican establishment. Go mitt!
Thet have pre pabas (democrat) than palmas (gop) in Puerto Rico...the Gov's endorsement means nada.
Get real. Puerto Ricans are decent, hard working people. We welcome a decent, hard working president.
This guy must be high.
That endorsement is enough to make me vote for Newt.
That's great news for Romney and Latino people.
I will vote for Romney because he's cool. The other guy looks to racist to me.
Can Puerto Rico even vote in our elections? I would think that an endorsement from the latino population that can actually vote would be more important. If latinos think Obama is bad, just help elect another Republican and you will see bad. The Tea/Republican Party would rather see all latinos shipped back to their country of origin than to see them prosper here in America.
First of all he's not mexican.Puerto Ricans should decide if they want statehood.If it does occur and they do become the 51 state,awesome. Then the mexicans will be demanding amnesty for ALL OF THEM.So the choice of statehood has been put on hold because of the mexicans.Like the liberals yu can't hurt their feelings.The statehood option will always be put on hold,you'll see.He's just trying to get the puerto ricans and cubans to vote for Mitt.The governor is saying yes there are latinos who are conservatives and don't be afraid to vote that way.
►Puerto Rico gov backs Romney
Romney acting like a “gecko” again – blending with the seas
He changes his tune to agree with whatever is at stake
And he had the nerve to say ginGRINCH was being a fake
He must have gotten promised something. Puerto Rico surely will not get the billions in federal aid under Repubs that the island is currently enjoying.
Romney has a long, long history of success in family, church, business and government as a turn-around artist. He uses a group of advisors as a brain trust to solve intractible problems. This opposed to Newt Gingrich who has an idea a minute and believes he has all the answers.
This nation needs Romney to boot the Marxist parasite that is now in office.
Obama is a rich person! ...what an idiot!
Obumbles is a divisive prsident preaching class-warfare!! ...can this idiot do any more damage to our country than he already has?