Idaho elections: Puerto Rico becomes an issue in the 1st Congressional District race

[ccharles000]

This interplay between Republican congressional candidates Vaughn Ward and Raul Labrador has made the rounds on social media, so I've embedded the video below.

At issue is the question of whether Puerto Rico should become a state. Labrador and Ward fundamentally agree that the timing isn't right. But it's still a tense little exchange. Ward incorrectly and repeatedly calls Puerto Rico a country — drawing a pointed rebuke from Labrador, a native of the U.S. territory.

And because of the Ward misstatement, this video is getting some run on social media.

I don't have much to add. But I guess this is a metaphor for this congressional campaign, five days before the primary. There's no disagreement between the candidates on the issue at hand. The issue becomes attention to detail — from a candidate who has had more than his share of attention-to-detail issues.

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2010/05/20/krichert/idaho_elections_puerto_rico_becomes_issue_1st_congressional_dist

[KingFlorez]

1. "Nobody knows in America knows, Puerto Rico's in America"

Why are they even debating Puerto Rican statehood in Idaho?

[boppers]

2. One candidate is from Puerto Rico...

That's why.

[KingFlorez]

5. I read that part

It still just seems a bit ridiculous me that they are arguing over the issue in a local race.

[boppers]

6. It's a "he's not an *real* American" campaign point.

It's not about logic, it's about politics... dirty politics.

[LAGC]

3. Because one of the candidates was born there.

The whole race has degenerated into a shouting match of whose more "pure" Idahoan than the other. Raul Labrador, a Puerto Rican native who has served for years in the Idaho Legislature, or Vaughn Ward, who was raised in Idaho but has recently lived in Virginia for many years before finally coming back.

Sarah Palin just held a big rally for Ward today, and he has all sorts of GOP Establishment money pouring into his campaign, so we'll see if its enough to offset his gaffes such as stealing other candidates' campaign quotes and branding them as his own.

[demosincebirth]

4. Yep, its a terrritory of the U.S. And Puerto Ricans are U. S. citizens

[Blue_Tires]

7. years ago, in the wake of post-9/11 nuttiness

a DUer had a great story about coming back home through the U.S.-Canada border, and her friend was detained by DHS for a bit because the border guard was too dumb to realize a Puerto Rican driver's license didn't automatically make someone a foreigner

[old mark]

8. Puerto Rico holds regular votes to decide this question and so far has rejected statehood

and determined they are better off as they are.

Everyone in Idaho should just shut the fuck up.


mark