MIAMI — Javier Gonzalez has joined a human tide of more than 130,000 U.S. citizens arriving in Florida since Hurricane Maria wrecked Puerto Rico, grateful for a place to start over but resenting how their island has been treated since the disaster.
More than 1 million Puerto Ricans — about 5 percent of Florida’s population — already call the state home. Political observers say that, given the anger many Puerto Ricans feel over President Donald Trump’s handling of the storm, this voting bloc could loosen the Republican Party’s hold on the battleground state.
Gonzalez, 38, saw the storm destroy the restaurant he opened with his father five years ago. Without power or reliable water, he became violently ill from food poisoning for three weeks. Finally, he packed his bags, determined to make his future in Miami instead.
“There is resentment, and we feel abandoned compared to Texas and Florida,” Gonzalez said. “We were desperate for help.”
Like any Puerto Rican, Gonzalez can vote in all elections now that he’s moved to the mainland. He doesn’t plan to register for any party, but he said he follows the news and understands their platforms. He’s aware of Trump’s tweets.
“It’s not right that we’ve fought from World War I to Vietnam and Afghanistan and that the first thing the president says is: ‘You have a large debt, big problems and have cost us millions,’” Gonzalez added.
Puerto Ricans have tended to favor Democrats, given their support for public education and social services. About 70 percent of Florida’s non-Cuban Hispanics voted for Hillary Clinton.
Both parties are courting the new arrivals to Florida, which Trump won last year by 112,000 votes out of 9.6 million cast.
“There is an intent to grab those who are coming,” said Rep. Robert Asencio, a Democrat of Puerto Rican descent who represents Miami in the Florida House and leads the Miami-Dade Committee for Hurricane Maria Relief.
“A lot of my colleagues say they are not politicizing this, but there is an effort to bring people either to the Democratic or the Republican side,” Asencio said.
Newcomers must register by July 30 to vote in 2018 for a new governor to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Rick Scott and to choose Florida’s congressional delegation, now 11 Democrats and 16 Republicans. Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson defends his seat next year, and Scott, who has been applauded for helping evacuees, is expected to challenge him in what could be a close race.