A new survey shows that a significant majority of Puerto Ricans in Florida support Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid for the White House while holding a negative view of former President Donald Trump. Conducted by the Puerto Rico Research Hub at the University of Central Florida, the poll gathered responses from about 150 Puerto Ricans predominantly residing in Central Florida between October 21 and 30.
The survey found that 85% of respondents would vote for Harris, while only 8% expressed support for Trump. Six percent indicated they would consider a third-party candidate. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 8 percentage points.
This poll follows controversial remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe about Puerto Rico during a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden on October 27, when he called it a "floating island of garbage." In response to the backlash over various racist comments made by speakers at the event, Trump downplayed the incident, describing the rally as "a lovefest." "There's never been an event so beautiful," he said.
Hinchcliffe's remarks have since gone viral on social media, prompting prominent Puerto Rican figures such as Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, and Ricky Martin to voice their support for Vice President Kamala Harris.
The poll showed that 88% of respondents had an unfavorable opinion of Trump, while 72% viewed Harris positively. Despite over a million Puerto Ricans living in Florida, the researchers indicated that their impact on the presidential election might be limited, given that Trump remains ahead in various polls with most other demographics. However, they suggested the comedian's comments could influence voters in closely contested states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina, where there is also a significant Puerto Rican population.
About 69% of Puerto Ricans are actively following the presidential race. "How ironic it would be that the Puerto Rican vote has the potential to become the October surprise," Fernando Rivera, director of the Puerto Rico Research Hub, told the Miami Herald. Responses were gathered from areas with a high concentration of Puerto Ricans, such as Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Hillsborough counties.
Major issues for the surveyed individuals included education, healthcare, and cost of living. While many respondents identified as Democrats, 85% supported candidates based on reasons beyond party affiliation.
The Harris campaign has capitalized on the controversy surrounding Hinchcliffe's now infamous joke, engaging directly with Puerto Rican voters in Pennsylvania and releasing a Spanish-language ad highlighting her policy proposals for Puerto Rico. New billboards, sponsored by Voto Latino and the Oakland Corps, have appeared in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, aiming to inspire Puerto Rican pride and encourage their support for Vice President.
At a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday Oct. 29, Trump made his last efforts to court Latino voters amid threats of eroding support among the demographic. "Nobody loves our Latino community and our Puerto Rican community more than I do," he said, without mentioning the joke that caused so much repercussion.
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