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    Will Puerto Rico participate in the 2024 presidential election? What you should know
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    Will Puerto Rico participate in the 2024 presidential election? What you should know

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    Puerto Rico residents outraged by a conservative comedian's comments about the island nation during a Sunday pro-Donald Trump rally at Madison Square Garden have nowhere to express their displeasure at the polls. But it could still have implications for the presidential election as both candidates vie for Latino voters who will help them get to the White House.

    Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who goes by the stage name Kill Tony, took the stage before Trump during the campaign rally in his hometown, where he mocked Puerto Rico as a “floating island of trash.”

    The comments, which drew condemnation from both sides of the political aisle, put Trump's campaign in a position to do damage control and his campaign sought to distance Trump from the comments.

    Here's what you should know about Puerto Rico's role in the November 5 election.

    Live updates on the 2024 election: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump's court swing states; Latest polls

    Will Puerto Rico participate in the 2024 presidential election?

    According to the Pew Research Center, more than two-thirds of Puerto Ricans live in the United States — about 5.8 million. Puerto Rican voters living in the United States. make up the second largest Latino group in the country, including in key battleground states like Pennsylvania.

    But while another 3.3 million Puerto Ricans live on the island, a U.S. territory, they will not be able to vote for the president.

    However, residents of Puerto Rico can help select each party's presidential candidate in the primary process.

    Trump, who has seen increasing support among Latino men and touted support from Puerto Rican artists such as Anuel AA and Nicky Jam, won the 2024 GOP primary in Puerto Rico, capturing 23 of the territory's Republican delegates.

    During Trump's presidency, Puerto Rico was devastated by two consecutive hurricanes in 2017, killing more than 3,000 people and displacing thousands. At the time, Trump was criticized for his response to the storms after he downplayed the damage they caused and an image went viral of him throwing rolls of paper towels to island residents.

    Puerto Rico faces a gubernatorial election this November with the New Progressive Party in the lead.

    Trump's campaign is under fire after Hinchcliffe's comments

    Hinchcliffe spoke at Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden several hours before the former president in the opening act.

    His comments drew widespread criticism from Democrats, fellow Republicans and major celebrities, even as the Trump campaign sought to distance itself from the comedian.

    Senior Trump adviser Danielle Alvarez issued a statement Sunday night saying, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”

    Puerto Rican celebrities, including Grammy-winning artists Bad Bunny and Ricky Martin, condemned Hinchcliffe's comments. Bad Bunny shared a video on his Instagram, where he has 45.6 million followers, in which Harris criticized Trump's actions against Puerto Rico as president and laid out her own agenda for the island.

    Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who livestreamed the rally, also criticized Hinchcliffe and urged Puerto Ricans living in Pennsylvania to watch the remarks for themselves.

    Contributors: Josh Meyer, Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY

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