2008 New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico primaries


The 2008 New Progressive Party primaries were the primary elections by which voters of the New Progressive Party chose its nominees for various political offices of Puerto Rico, namely the position of governor, for the 2008 general elections. Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño was selected as the nominee at the primary elections held on March 9, 2008. He would go on to win the 2008 general election as well.

Background

Pedro Rosselló had come from a defeat against Aníbal Acevedo Vilá at the 2004 elections. Despite that, he managed to gain a seat in the Senate. After an unsuccessful power struggle within the Senate to gain the presidency of the body, it was speculated that Rosselló would make another attempt at being elected Governor for the 2008 elections.
The power struggle had caused a division within the party, with the faction that supported Senate President Kenneth McClintock being expelled from the party during the previous year. Although the Supreme Court allowed them to run in the PNP primaries, Pedro Rosselló, then President of the party, still vouched for a "vote of punishment" against the senators, which he called "traitors".

Candidates

Governor

Resident Commissioner

Senate

At-large

District

The New Progressive Party held primaries on all 8 of the senatorial districts.
San Juan">Puerto Rico Senatorial district I">San Juan

House of Representatives

At-large

District

The Popular Democratic Party held primaries on 30 of the 40 representative districts.
District 1

Mayors

The New Progressive Party held primaries in 34 of 78 municipalities.

Aguada">Aguada, Puerto Rico">Aguada

Aguas Buenas">Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico">Aguas Buenas

  • Miguel
  • Edwin Morales
  • Vitín Ramos

Arecibo">Arecibo, Puerto Rico">Arecibo

Arroyo">Arroyo, Puerto Rico">Arroyo

Caguas">Caguas, Puerto Rico">Caguas

Camuy">Camuy, Puerto Rico">Camuy

Canóvanas">Canóvanas, Puerto Rico">Canóvanas

Cataño">Cataño, Puerto Rico">Cataño

Cayey">Cayey, Puerto Rico">Cayey

Ceiba">Ceiba, Puerto Rico">Ceiba

Corozal">Corozal, Puerto Rico">Corozal

Florida">Florida, Puerto Rico">Florida

Guaynabo">Guaynabo, Puerto Rico">Guaynabo

Humacao">Humacao, Puerto Rico">Humacao

  • "Piloto" Santiago
  • Maritza Vargas

Juana Díaz">Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico">Juana Díaz

  • Gardy Guzmán
  • Nilsa Santiago

Juncos">Juncos, Puerto Rico">Juncos

  • Junito Mulero
  • Karen Velázquez

Lajas">Lajas, Puerto Rico">Lajas

Lares">Lares, Puerto Rico">Lares

Las Piedras">Las Piedras, Puerto Rico">Las Piedras

Loíza">Loíza, Puerto Rico">Loíza

Luquillo">Luquillo, Puerto Rico">Luquillo

Morovis">Morovis, Puerto Rico">Morovis

Patillas">Patillas, Puerto Rico">Patillas

Ponce">Ponce, Puerto Rico">Ponce

Quebradillas">Quebradillas, Puerto Rico">Quebradillas

  • Moisés Soto
  • Elías Nieves

Rincón">Rincón, Puerto Rico">Rincón

  • María Lourdes Méndez
  • Eddie Ríos

Río Grande">Río Grande, Puerto Rico">Río Grande

Sabana Grande">Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico">Sabana Grande

  • Wilfrido Bonilla
  • Santitos Rivera
  • Linnette Toledo

Salinas">Salinas, Puerto Rico">Salinas

San Germán">San Germán, Puerto Rico">San Germán

  • Mónica Alpi
  • Luis Cancel
  • Efraín Montalvo
  • Edgardo Suárez

San Sebastián">San Sebastián, Puerto Rico">San Sebastián

Toa Alta">Toa Alta, Puerto Rico">Toa Alta

Trujillo Alto">Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico">Trujillo Alto

  • Julio Andino
  • Emmanuel Huertas
  • Eduardo Otero

Utuado">Utuado, Puerto Rico">Utuado

Results

The primaries were held on March 9, 2008. In it, Fortuño comfortably defeated Rosselló to win the spot for Governor at the 2008 elections. Also, Pedro Pierluisi defeated Charlie Rodríguez and Miriam Ramírez de Ferrer with 60% of the votes to win the spot for Resident Commissioner.

Senate

District

San Juan">Puerto Rico Senatorial district I">San Juan
Bayamón">Puerto Rico Senatorial district II">Bayamón
Arecibo">Puerto Rico Senatorial district III">Arecibo
Mayagüez-Aguadilla">Puerto Rico Senatorial district IV">Mayagüez-Aguadilla
Ponce">Puerto Rico Senatorial district V">Ponce
Guayama">Puerto Rico Senatorial district VI">Guayama
Humacao">Puerto Rico Senatorial district VII">Humacao
Carolina">Puerto Rico Senatorial district VIII">Carolina

House of Representatives

District

District 1
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 8
District 10
District 11
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 20
District 21
District 23
District 24
District 26
District 28
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40

Aftermath

Members of PPD voting

During and after the primaries, members of the New Progressive Party, like Senator Norma Burgos, claimed they saw voters affiliated with the opposing Popular Democratic Party voting in the PNP ballots. Also, Maritza Vázquez, Electoral Commissioner of PPD representative Conny Varela, admitted in 2010 that "thousands of 'populares' voted on that election'". Some of the supporters of Rosselló maintain that this "crossover" was crucial in Pedro Rosselló's defeat against Luis Fortuño.

Rosselló "Write-In" campaign

As a result of Rosselló's loss in the primaries, a group of his supporters started a campaign to have him elected through "Write-in" voting.

The fate of the "Auténticos"

Despite Rosselló's call for a "vote of punishment" against the "Auténticos", all but one of the eligible candidates from that faction were elected in the primaries. Carlos Díaz was edged out of the election race by Senators Roberto Arango and Kimmey Raschke. Migdalia Padilla, Lucy Arce, and Jorge de Castro Font were all elected. Kenneth McClintock had decided not to run for Senate, while Orlando Parga refused to return to the party after his expulsion, and started an independent campaign.