In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, tight congressional races are underway in districts with large Puerto Rican communities. Rafael Álvarez Febo, co-founder of the Puerto Rican Professionals Network, says the U.S. government should prioritize issues like access to drinking water in Puerto Rico, where hundreds of thousands have gone without water service due to pipeline breaks and drought.
The Puerto Rican diaspora is seeking to influence members of Congress, particularly in Pennsylvania’s 7th and 2nd Congressional Districts and New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District, where Republicans Ryan Mackenzie and Jeff Van Drew face close races against Democrats Bob Brooks and Zack Mullock. In Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District, Democrat Brendan Boyle, who has represented the area since 2015, faces Republican Jéssica Arriaga, a Puerto Rican born and raised in North Philadelphia.
Arriaga questioned Boyle’s effectiveness in addressing problems like drug addiction and high housing costs, saying she would focus on attracting jobs and opportunities, but declined to share specific proposals until after the election. The districts are home to significant Puerto Rican populations, with Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District having the largest Puerto Rican population in the state, and the highest poverty rate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.