The controversial “floating garbage” joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a rally for Republican President-elect Donald Trump did not have the negative impact on Trump’s support from Puerto Ricans that critics expected. Despite backlash from the joke, Trump still won several Florida counties with the state’s largest concentration of Puerto Ricans, which he had lost in both 2020 and 2016. Osceola County, which is home to the largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in Florida, voted in favor of Trump after voting Democrat in the past two elections. Miami-Dade and Hillsborough counties, which also have significant Puerto Rican populations and previously went against Trump, also voted for him this time around.
Questions arose about how Trump would fare with the Latino electorate after Hinchcliffe made his controversial joke comparing Puerto Rico to a “floating pile of garbage.” Despite this, Trump garnered significant support in Florida’s counties with large Puerto Rican populations, and the U.S. territory elected a candidate who is a Trump ally as its next governor. While the comments may have motivated some Latinos to vote, others, like one Puerto Rican voter who spoke to CNN on Election Day, chose to support the candidate they believed would provide a better future for them and their families, regardless of such comments.
Puerto Rican voters in Pennsylvania told Fox News that Hinchcliffe’s joke did not impact their support for Trump, despite some state lawmakers insisting it would have an impact on the election results. Additionally, Puerto Rico’s gubernatorial race ended with a victory by Trump ally Jenniffer González-Colón. Hispanics, in general, were less supportive of 2024 Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Harris compared to President Biden in 2020. While a majority of Hispanic voters supported Harris over Trump, her margin of victory was smaller than Biden’s in the previous election.
Although there was speculation about how Trump’s support among Puerto Ricans would be affected by the controversial joke made at the rally, the final results showed that Trump managed to gain ground among this demographic. Trump’s continued support in areas with large Puerto Rican populations in Florida, as well as the election of a Trump ally as Puerto Rico’s governor, indicate that the impact of the joke may not have been as negative as initially thought. Overall, while the comments may have motivated some Latino voters, many chose to focus on the candidate they believed would provide the best future for them and their families, regardless of any controversial remarks.
