Florida politicians are courting displaced Puerto Ricans. But what are their motives?
In October, the nurse and her 5-month-old daughter were among a group of Puerto Ricans who spoke to
Robles is among the state-estimated 300,000 Puerto Ricans who have come to
Along the
And though Hispanic participation drops in off-year elections, an impassioned, growing group of voters could buck that trend come November. Nelson knows it. Scott knows it. And they're acting like they know it.
With the two facing a potential showdown in November, the Republican governor, who has visited the island twice since the hurricane, appears to have amplified efforts in the new year to address the problems facing Puerto Ricans both in
Some Puerto Ricans, who traditionally lean Democrat, say the governor has a chance to win them over. Others remain skeptical of Scott's motives.
"We all know he wants
But as the governor has doubled-down in the new year on Puerto Rican outreach, his office insists his efforts are "absolutely not" related to any potential campaign for Nelson's seat, which he is widely believed to be considering.
"
In the first two weeks of the year, Scott has criss-crossed the state talking
"We are working hard to help all the families that are arriving in
"It's hard to tell until they're in the position to see if they're going to keep their promises," he said. "There's a lot more that we have to see that [Scott] can do. We're going to have to see it."
As Scott appears to court Puerto Rican voters, his opponents and critics have sought to undercut his efforts.
In
"It's time for Puerto Ricans to register, to vote, and to remember what happened and who was there and who wasn't," said Levine, who delivered supplies to
Only a few days before Levine's visit, the governor was pressed for housing solutions during a meeting with officials in
"It's nice that people are courting the Puerto Rican vote, both existing and new arrivals. But I think most people are going to be judged on the results. Did they actually deliver on the promises they made?" he said. "We're a proud people. And when there are issues affecting the island it crosses geographic differences, age differences, even party differences. This right away makes folks who've just arrived here likely voters."
Exactly how many Puerto Ricans are migrating to
Nelson, who seems convinced that Scott will mount a challenge ahead of the November election, also has made sure to reach out to displaced Puerto Ricans and visit the island twice. He's been cool to calls to end or waive the Jones Act, which has helped
"The elected officials running for office in
In the meantime, Robles, who asked Scott to help her with complications related to working as a nurse in
"Everyone wants to help. It was hard the first two months, but now we're getting used to it," Robles told
McClatchy staff reporter
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