2012 Puerto Rican general election

Candidates

Before the election year, the constitution of Puerto Rico provides for any qualified person to present their candidacy for a specific position. If two or more candidates from the same party present their candidacy for the same position, and they can't reach an agreement within the party, a primary election is held. This election is held within the inscribed members of each party, to select which of the candidates will represent the party in the general election.

Both of the main parties, the PNP and PPD, held primaries for several positions on March 18, 2012.

New Progressive Party (PNP)

Main article: 2012 New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico primaries

The primaries were held on March 18, 2012, to determine several candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and others.

Popular Democratic Party (PPD)

Main article: 2012 Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico primaries

The primaries were held on March 18, 2012, to determine several candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and others.

Governor

New Progressive Party

Incumbent Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, announced his candidacy for reelection in October 2011. Former Secretary of Health, Iván González Cancel, challenged him to a primary, but the court ruled it out.

Popular Democratic Party

Current senator Alejandro García Padilla, announced his candidacy in March 2011.

Puerto Rican Independence Party

Former Electoral Commissioner Juan Dalmau Ramírez, announced his candidacy for the Puerto Rican Independence Party. In January 2012, he presented his campaign staff and government program.

Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico

Rogelio Figueroa was the candidate for governor for the PPR party.

Movimiento Unión Soberanista

The MUS had chosen Dr. Enrique Vázquez Quintana as candidate for governor. However, in August 2012, Vázquez Quintana withdrew from the candidacy. A week later, he was replaced by Attorney Arturo Hernández, who was formerly president of the Puerto Rico Bar Association. Hernández was already a candidate for the Senate of Puerto Rico.

Working People's Party

Professor Rafael Bernabe was announced as the gubernatorial candidate for the PPT in June 2012.

Resident Commissioner

The incumbent Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi, from the PNP, faced the following candidates for the position:

• Rafael Cox Alomar, Popular Democratic Party (PPD)
• Juan Mercado Nieves, Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP)
• Sadiasept Guillont Juarbe, Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party (PPR)
• María de Lourdes Guzmán, Movimiento Union Soberanista (MUS)
• Félix Córdova Iturregui, Working People's Party (PPT)

Senate

Main article: 2012 Puerto Rico Senate election

At-large

The ballot featured seventeen (17) candidates from six different parties and one independent candidate (bold denotes incumbent candidates) New Progressive Party (PNP)

• Lucy Arce
• Margarita Nolasco
• Itzamar Peña
• Thomas Rivera Schatz
• Melinda Romero
• Larry Seilhamer

Popular Democratic Party (PPD)

• Eduardo Bhatia
• Antonio Fas Alzamora
• Rossana López León
• Angel Rosa
• Cirilo Tirado Rivera
• Aníbal José Torres Other parties
• María de Lourdes Santiago (PIP)
• Carmen M. Sánchez Betancourt (PPR)
• José "Che" Paraliticci (MUS)
• Ineabelle Colón (PPT)
• Herminio Pagán Calderín (independent)

District

San Juan

• Angel "Luigi" Alicea (PIP)
• Isabel Borras Marín (MUS)
• José "Pepe" Córdova (PPT)
• Liza Fernández (PNP)
• Héctor González Pereira (PIP)
• Fred Guillont Juarbe (PPR)
• Zoé Laboy (PNP)
• José Nadal Power (PPD)
• Ramón Luis Nieves (PPD)

Bayamón

• Ruth E. Arroyo Muñoz (PPT)
• Víctor Caraballo (PIP)
• Miguel Reyes Dávila (PPD)
• José Orlando Muñoz (PPD)
• Migdalia Padilla (PNP)
• Carmelo Ríos Santiago (PNP)
• José A. Ojeda Santos (PIP)
• Carlos Alberto Velázquez (MUS)

Arecibo

• Wanda Arroyo (PPD)
• Jaime Bonel González (PIP)
• Rafael Capella Angueira (MUS)
• Luis Cruz (PIP)
• Angel "Chayanne" Martínez (PNP)
• José "Joito" Pérez (PNP)
• Rubén Soto (PPD)

Mayagüez-Aguadilla

• María Teresa González (PPD)
• Alberto O. Lozada Colón (MUS)
• Edwin Morales Pérez (PPT)
• Luis Daniel Muñíz (PNP)
• Gilberto Rodríguez (PPD)
• Orlando Ruiz Pesante (PIP)
• Samuel Soto Bosques (PIP)
• Evelyn Vázquez (PNP)

Ponce

• Luis Berdiel (PNP)
• Javier Maldonado Mercado (PIP)
• Luis Enrique Martínez (PIP)
• Ramón Ruiz (PPD)
• Martín Vargas Morales (PPD)
• Eliezer Velázquez (PNP)

Guayama

• Roberto Colón Ocasio (MUS)
• José Enrique Laboy Gómez (PIP)
• Benjamín "Bengie" León (independent)
• Miguel Pereira (PPD)
• Edny Ramírez Pagán (PIP)
• Angel Rodríguez Otero (PPD)
• Miguel Rodríguez (PNP)
• Carlos Javier Torres (PNP)

Humacao

• Maritza Algarín Sepúlveda (PIP)
• Vilma Calderón Jiménez (MUS)
• José Luis Dalmau (PPD)
• José Ramón Díaz (PNP)
• José Luis "Tito" Dones (PPR)
• Juan "Cholo" Lebrón (PIP)
• Carlos Mercado Cotto (PPT)
• Luz M. Santiago González (PNP)
• Jorge Suárez Cáceres (PPD)

Carolina

• Pedro José "Pepe" Alvarez (PIP)
• Fabiola Carrasquillo (PPR)
• Edwin M. González (PPR)
• Roger Iglesias (PNP)
• Luis Daniel Rivera (PPD)
• Dwight E. Rodríguez Orta (PIP)
• Pedro A. Rodríguez (PPD)
• Guillermo Sosa Rodríguez (MUS)
• Lornna Soto (PNP)

House of Representatives

At-large

The ballot featured sixteen (16) candidates from six different parties and one independent candidate (bold denotes incumbent candidates) New Progressive Party (PNP)

• José Aponte
• Jenniffer González
• José E. Meléndez Ortíz
• María Milagros Charbonier
• Lourdes Ramos
• José "Pichy" Torres Zamora

Popular Democratic Party (PPD)

• Jaime Perelló
• Luis Vega Ramos
• Charlie Hernández
• Jorge Colberg Toro
• Eduardo Ferrer Ríos
• Brenda López de Arrarás Other parties
• Dennis Márquez (PIP)
• Edwin Meléndez Delgado (PPR)
• José "Tato" Rivera Santana (MUS)
• Eva L. Ayala (PPT)
• Alexander Febus Medina (independent)

Campaign

The campaign of the main opposing party, the PPD, focused mostly on the problems of crime, unemployment, and high utility costs, attributing them to the failure of the incumbent governor, Luis Fortuño, from the PNP. The PNP, on the other hand, focused mostly on the lack of experience of the PPD candidate, Alejandro García Padilla.

The minority parties have directed their campaign at the inability of the main two parties to administer the country. The Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party (PPR) attacked the alleged classism and social inequality of the current government, while the Working People's Party (PPT) advocated for a government more attuned to the working class.

Debates

There were two official debates celebrated with all gubernatorial candidates. The first one was held on September 11, 2012, under the title of "Vota o Quédate Calla'o" ("Vote or Keep your Mouth Shut"). It was transmitted by the television network of Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez. The second debate was held on October 25, 2012, under the title of "El Gran Debate". This debate was transmitted by Telemundo and had the best TV ratings for the night with 18.7 and a 27.3% share.

Results

Governor

In the morning of November 7, 2012, Fortuño conceded the election to Alejandro García Padilla, just as the last votes were being counted. The margin of victory was 0.7% (or 11,049 votes) which would make it the second closest election in the island in the last 20 years. The candidates of the minority parties all received less than the required 3% to remain registered. Notably, Rogelio Figueroa (from the PPR) received only 0.4% of the vote after receiving 3% in the 2008 general elections.

Resident commissioner

The incumbent Pedro Pierluisi from the PNP defeated the candidate from the PPD, Rafael Cox Alomar. Pierluisi managed to be reelected, despite the fact that his ballot partner, Governor Fortuño, lost against the PPD candidate. This would be the second time in the last 10 years where the governor and the resident commissioner came from different parties. The first one was after the 2004 elections where PPD candidate Aníbal Acevedo Vilá narrowly won the election, while Fortuño (PNP) was elected resident commissioner.

Senate

The PPD won a majority of seats in the Senate of Puerto Rico, with a total of 18 out of 27. The PNP won a total of 8 seats, while the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) won one seat. The PPD won the majority after two terms of being a minority. The election of a senator from the PIP also comes after one term with no senator seated. The PPD won six of the Puerto Rico Senatorial districts. The PNP won only two districts, despite winning all eight during the previous elections.

House of Representatives

The PPD also won a majority of seats in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, with a total of 28 out of 51. The PNP won a total of 23 seats. The other minority parties won no seats. Like with the Senate, the PPD won the majority after two terms of being a minority.

Mayors

The PPD won a majority of the mayoralty races in the island, with a total of 46 out of 78 municipalities. The New Progressive Party (PNP) won a total of 31. One of the most notable races featured PPD candidate Carmen Yulín Cruz defeating incumbent Jorge Santini (PNP) for the mayoralty of the capital city of San Juan after 12 years in the seat.

References

References

1. "Electoral Calendar - international elections world elections".
2. Díaz, Carmen. (June 24, 2012). "Elección para la historia". El Vocero.
3. (2012-11-07). "Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuno loses re-election". [[Voxxi]].
4. (October 7, 2011). "Luis Fortuño anuncia su candidatura a la reelección a gobernador de Puerto Rico en 2012". [[WKAQ (AM).
5. Bliss, Peggy Ann. (August 1, 2011). "González Cancel launches NPP primary fight". Puerto Rico Daily Sun.
6. Cordero, Gerardo. (September 5, 2012). "Sigue la espera por decisión judicial el médico Iván González Cancel". [[El Nuevo Día]].
7. Gómez, Antonio. (March 7, 2011). "Alejandro García Padilla se tira de pecho". [[Primera Hora (Puerto Rico).
8. (January 30, 2012). "PIP presents campaign staff and government program". Puerto Rico Daily Sun.
9. "Rogelio Figueroa lanza su campaña como candidato a la gobernación".
10. "MUS ratifuca sus candidatos para las elecciones generales". RedBetances.
11. (August 12, 2012). "MUS elige a Arturo Hernández como candidato a gobernador". El Vocero.
12. Rivera, Ivelisse. (June 16, 2012). "Rafael Bernabe es el candidato a la gobernación por el PPT".
13. (2012-10-06). "Fortuño no ha cumplido 20 de 24 promesas sobre criminalidad". NotiCel.
14. Cordero, Gerardo and Rebecca Banuchi. (October 31, 2012). "Dúo PNP ataca récord legislativo de García Padilla". [[El Nuevo Día]].
15. Rodríguez, Israel. (October 27, 2012). "Un mensaje claro y más contacto". [[El Nuevo Día]].
16. Rivera, Aurora. (November 4, 2012). "Promete el PPT que seguirá en pie de lucha". [[El Nuevo Día]].
17. "El Gran Debate acapara la teleaudiencia". [[El Nuevo Día]].
18. (November 7, 2012). "Luis Fortuño acepta su derrota". [[El Nuevo Día]].