Nelson and Scott skirmish for Orlando’s Puerto Rican vote
A few hours into the Florida Puerto Rican Festival in Orlando on April 28, the Democratic Party tent was seeing steady traffic while its Republican counterpart was relatively quiet.
But that lack of visitors might have been deceiving.
“I like [Gov. Rick] Scott,” said Anna Hernandez, who waved away Democratic volunteers who asked her to sign up to support U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s campaign. “He’s been going to Puerto Rico, making time to help the community. He gave me a big hug. He won my vote.”
Middalia Garcia did sign up to receive updates from the Democrats, but she was conflicted.
“It’s hard,” she said. “I’m a Democrat, but Scott has done a lot of good stuff for Florida.”
The race between Nelson and Scott might end up as one of the most expensive and important U.S. Senate campaigns in the country. And while Nelson holds a slim lead in recent polls, Scott has been relentless in reaching out to an important group — the Puerto Rican
community in Central Florida, which has been dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and the influx of evacuees.
Before Maria, there were already more than 1 million people of Puerto Rican descent in Florida, including more than 400,000 in Central Florida alone.
They’ve mostly registered as independent and vote Democratic, but the inroads Scott has made with the community means Nelson cannot take their vote for granted, even in a year in which many experts are predicting to be a “blue wave” of Democratic victories nationwide.
“What we’re hearing is mixed,” said Betsy Franceschini, a senior state director for the Hispanic Federation. “Some are liking what Sen. Bill Nelson has been doing for Puerto Rico. He’s supported a lot of initiatives in the Senate to help the island.”
On the other hand, she said, “Rick Scott has been on the front end here in the state, working to put together programs, putting together emergency centers and helping folks get their kids into schools.”
Scott has visited the island five times since Maria, often meeting with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello.
On Friday, Nelson made his third visit since the Sept. 20 hurricane, also meeting with the governor and touring still-devastated regions of the island.
On April 20, Scott and Nelson held dueling town halls with the Puerto Rican community in Kissimmee, just down the street from each other.
Scott also was introduced at his Senate kickoff in Orlando by Puerto Rico Lt. Gov. Luis G. Rivera-Marín and endorsed in Kissimmee by Puerto Rico’s delegate in the U.S. House, Jenniffer González. Nelson has worked with Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio — who has pointedly said he won’t campaign against Nelson — to address the island’s power issues and met with displaced residents in Tampa on Thursday.
On his trip to Puerto Rico on Friday, Nelson cited his opposition to the Republican tax bill, which didn’t continue Puerto Rico’s manufacturing tax incentives and did not double the island’s child tax credit as it did on the mainland.
He also said he opposed the financial obligations imposed on Puerto Rico as part of its debt crisis.
Josephine Mercado, founder of the Hispanic Health Initiatives group and a marcher at the parade, said Nelson personally helped her organization get funding through an appropriations bill in 2005.
“That helped us do a diabetes clinic for the Latino community,” she said. “That speaks a lot to me. I can’t tell you about Rick Scott, who wants to continue in office, you know. In my house we have raised eyebrows. But I’ve made up my mind. I know Nelson.”
The Republican Party, meanwhile, is making Puerto Rican outreach a major part of its attempt to unseat Nelson.
GOP staff in Florida are working “to identify, register and engage with the Puerto Rican community,” said Taryn Fenske, Republican National Committee spokeswoman .
Scott met with Puerto Rican businesspeople, pastors and community leaders in Kissimmee last month and expressed support for Puerto Rican statehood, while also cautioning Florida has “no control” over FEMA decisions on housing aid for hurricane victims.
While many of those in attendance at the Misión La Cosecha praised Scott and his campaign, a progressive group outside said they were with families about to be kicked out of their FEMA housing and wanted to get into the event but were asked to leave.
Scott’s campaign pointed to González’s endorsement Tuesday as a major indication of Scott’s work on behalf of Puerto Rico, which has included leading a delegation of utility providers to the island and providing job opportunities for Puerto Rican transplants.
“He also gave them the opportunity to find housing, to get food and shelter. In a moment of need, that’s the hand you need,” González said. “I’m very proud to have that kind of a leader as a governor, but I want that kind of a leader in the Senate of the United States.”
Lou Marin, who held a Scott campaign “Sigamos Trabajando” (We Keep Working) sign at the parade, said he was a strong Scott supporter. But he said Scott, Nelson and all officeholders must do more.
“Right now, both parties need to reach out more,’’ said the Orlando resident.
“They are Americans. We need to support them, embrace them, bring them into the fold.”