Could The Puerto Rican Population Decide The Election in Swing States?
Puerto Rican voters make up a vital demographic in some of the most contested areas in the U.S.
An estimated 5.8 million Hispanics of Puerto Rican origin lived in the United States in 2021, many of whom are concentrated in politically critical regions, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Hinchcliffe's comments may galvanize Puerto Rican voters who were otherwise disengaged, potentially reshaping voter engagement efforts as the 2024 presidential election looms closer.
The seven battleground states in the U.S. are Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia and North Carolina.
With Puerto Ricans making up a significant portion of the Latino vote, particularly in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and
—in the the latter two narrow margins decided the 2020 presidential election—these remarks may have far-reaching consequences.
Below is the Puerto Rican population and the margin that decided the election in 2020.
Pennsylvania
2020 winning margin: 80,555
Puerto Rican population: 472,213
Nevada
2020 winning margin: 33,596
Puerto Rican population: 27,230
Arizona
2020 winning margin: 10,457
Puerto Rican population: 64,738
Michigan
2020 winning margin: 154,188
Puerto Rican population: 43,381
Wisconsin
2020 winning margin: 20,608
Puerto Rican population: 61,437
Georgia
2020 winning margin: 11,779
Puerto Rican population: 100,923
North Carolina
2020 winning margin: 74,483
Puerto Rican population: 115,449