Puerto RicoJenniffer González is the new governor of Puerto Rico, with the PNP edging closer to a majority in the Assembly
Jenniffer González of the ruling Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) led Puerto Rico’s gubernatorial race, winning 39.45% of the vote and securing the continuation of PNP leadership on the island, which has been in place since 2016. Juan Dalmau, candidate for the Partido Independentista de Puerto Rico (PIP) and ally of Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana, secured 32.78%, making him the second most-voted candidate. Dalmau described the election as ‘historic.’ Jesús Manuel González of the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD) placed third with 21.02% of the vote.
For the position of Resident Commissioner, Pablo José Hernández Rivera of the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), won with 44.55% of the vote, defeating PNP candidate William Villafañe, who received 35.04%.
This win marks a higher percentage than Governor Pedro Pierluisi achieved in 2020, and González becomes the second woman to hold this office. Upon receiving the results, she thanked Puerto Ricans for supporting ‘the path of hope and action.
Legislative Assembly Projections
Based on current results, the PNP has secured 21 of the 51 seats in the House of Representatives, bringing it close to a self-sustaining majority, while the PIP holds just one seat. The PPD stands as the second-largest minority with 13 representatives. Five proportional seats and 11 at-large seats remain to be assigned, giving the PNP a chance to add enough legislators to achieve its own majority.
In the Senate, the PNP has won 12 seats, with the PPD holding 4. Eleven at-large Senate seats remain undecided, offering the PNP a potential path to a self-sustaining majority.
Plebiscite results on political status
Statehood emerged as the leading choice in the non-binding plebiscite, with the majority of voters favoring full integration with the United States. It is important to note that any change to the island’s political status would first require approval from the U.S. Congress, followed by ratification by the island’s Legislative Assembly.
Compared to previous plebiscites, support for the most-selected option showed a decline this time. Notably, for the first time, independence ranked as the second-most popular choice, capturing 30.85% of the vote.