900,000 Puerto Ricans in Swing States Respond to Racist Joke

At a recent Trump rally in Madison Square Garden, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe sparked controversy with a joke that equated Puerto Rico to “a floating island of garbage.” Camille Rivera, a member of the Puerto Rican advocacy group La Brega y Fuerza, expressed her dismay, stating that such comments were not surprising given the long-standing racist attitudes within the MAGA movement. Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the U.S., has over 5 million voters, with nearly 900,000 residing in key battleground states that both candidates are trying to win.

One of those states is Pennsylvania, where around 500,000 Puerto Ricans live. The backlash from Hinchcliffe’s remarks has been immediate. A nonpartisan Puerto Rican organization has even circulated a letter encouraging its members to refrain from supporting Trump. The campaign itself is reportedly now eager to distance itself from Hinchcliffe’s comments.

In North Carolina, another critical swing state home to approximately 115,000 Puerto Ricans, I caught up with Hope Alfaro, a 39-year-old unaffiliated voter who typically votes Democratic. Alfaro, who previously volunteered with a Latino voter advocacy group, shared her thoughts on the implications of Hinchcliffe’s joke on the local Puerto Rican community and how it could impact the Trump and Harris campaigns.

When first hearing about Hinchcliffe’s joke, Alfaro recounted her disbelief, wondering how such a insensitive comment made it through the campaign’s vetting process just days before the election. She noted that the racially charged humor was alarming, particularly to independent Puerto Rican voters who may not have strong loyalties to either party.

Alfaro believes the joke could push undecided voters away from Trump, noting that pride in their identity is strong among Puerto Ricans. The comment, she argued, was an affront to their dignity and identity. Conversations surrounding the joke have proliferated within her community, including with family members who reached out to discuss it.

Despite the potential for discontented Puerto Rican voters reconsidering their support for Trump, Alfaro acknowledged that many Trump supporters might ignore this type of rhetoric, focusing instead on economic factors. She lamented that there appears to be a lack of significant outreach from both major parties toward Latino voters in North Carolina, leaving many feeling disenchanted and unrepresented.

Alfaro emphasized the importance of recognizing and encouraging young Latino voters in the state, especially as many are first-time voters. The campaigns should address voting and its significance in relation to community needs—beyond mere translation of campaign materials into Spanish. Engaging with voters culturally is key.

The role of cultural icons in political discourse can’t be overlooked. After the rally, Bad Bunny shared a clip featuring Kamala Harris discussing her plans for Puerto Rico on his Instagram account. Alfaro believes such endorsements can resonate, especially with younger voters who aim to feel included in the political conversation.

Puerto Rican voters, in many ways, find themselves overlooked politically. Their citizenship and status as voters often leads parties to misunderstand their unique needs and cultural distinctiveness. Though Puerto Rico is part of the U.S., the experience of migration to the mainland carries with it complexities that differ from other immigrant narratives.

In North Carolina, a state grappling with its own political shift, individuals like Alfaro are eager for engagement that speaks authentically to their experiences. Amid a growing population of Latino voters, many feel disconnected from the narratives offered by both political parties. Without tailored outreach, even the most engaged voters worry about losing their voices in the larger electoral dialogue.