The 2024 Republican Party Platform No Longer Supports Statehood for Puerto Rico

I had posted in July and August about the weakening of the Republican Party’s Platform on the right to life because of the wishes of its nominee, Donald Trump, but there was another noteworthy change. The GOP Platform also dropped its longtime support for statehood for Puerto Rico. The status of the territory, which is currently a commonwealth, has long been the major political issue on the Caribbean island. Although the three million residents of Puerto Rico are United States citizens, only the citizens of States and the Federal District of Columbia may vote for presidential and vice presidential Electors, and only States are fully represented in Congress with voting Representatives and Senators, as the residents of territories do not pay federal taxes. But millions of Puerto Ricans who reside in America are eligible to vote in the State or District of their residence in federal and state elections. Congress may approve legislation for another plebiscite for Puerto Rican residents to decide whether to become a State, remain as a commonwealth, enter into free association with the U.S., or become independent. Puerto Rican voting in American will be looking for direction from either of the two major political parties, now that the Republicans have opened the door for the Democrats to gain support from this issue.