Popular Democratic Party President Announces Candidacy for Puerto Rico Gubernatorial Primary

Rep. Jesús Manuel Ortiz will face off against Sen. Juan Zaragoza in the primary, with the winner to compete against the New Progressive Party's candidate.

Rep. Jesús Manuel Ortiz of the Popular Democratic Party announced his candidacy for the gubernatorial primary.
Ortiz will face Puerto Rico Sen. Juan Zaragoza, who previously served as the U.S. territory’s treasury secretary.
The winner of the Popular Democratic Party’s primary will face the winner of the New Progressive Party’s primary, in which Gov. Pedro Pierluisi faces Jenniffer González, the island’s representative in Congress.
The Popular Democratic Party supports the island’s current political status, while the New Progressive Party supports statehood.
Ortiz, who is president of the Popular Democratic Party, listed conditions in Puerto Rico that he said were negatively affecting the island’s 3.2 million inhabitants.