2008 United States House of Representatives election in Puerto Rico
The election for Resident Commissioner to the United States House of Representatives took place on November 4, 2008, the same day as the larger Puerto Rican general election and the United States general elections, 2008.
Background
The incumbent one-term Resident Commissioner (same as non-voting territorial delegate) Luis Fortuño, of the (NPP/R), was retiring from his House seat to run for Governor of Puerto Rico.
Pedro Pierluisi (NPP), the former Puerto Rican Secretary of Justice under former Governor Pedro Rosselló,[1][2] was the favorite to succeed Fortuño over economist Alfredo Salazar (PDP).
Regardless of which of the two men won, the seat would switch from Republican to Democratic hands in January as both candidates would caucuses with the Democrats.[1] However, this seat would not have impacted which party controls the chamber.
Candidates for Resident Commissioner
- Jessica Martínez Birriel for the Puerto Rican Independence Party
- Pedro Pierluisi for the New Progressive Party
- Alfredo Salazar for the Popular Democratic Party
- Carlos Alberto Velázquez López for the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party
Election results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
New Progressive | Pedro Pierluisi | 1,010,285 | 53.05 | |
Popular Democratic | Alfredo Salazar | 810,093 | 42.54 | |
Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico | Carlos Velazquez | 46,123 | 2.42 | |
Puerto Rican Independence | Jessica Martinez | 37,865 | 1.99 | |
Total votes | 1,904,366 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | 78.04 | |||
New Progressive hold | ||||
See also
2. Pierluisi is leading Salazar 51% to 34% as of October 30, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081102101723/http://www.vocero.com/noticia-5761-slido_fortuo.html
References
- http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2010/person/pedro-pierluisi-pr/
- Dunham, Mike (2008-03-10). "Fortuño wins pro-statehood primary in Puerto Rico". Associated Press. New York Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
- http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2008election.pdf