United States President Joe Biden secured victory in the Democratic presidential primary held on Sunday in Puerto Rico. Due to recent austerity measures enforced by a federal control board overseeing the island's finances, Puerto Rico was limited to opening only a dozen voting centres this year, a significant decrease from the usual count of over 100 in previous years.
On April 28, Puerto Rico's Democrats also chose 36 of 65 delegates they hope to send to the National Democratic Convention that will be held in Chicago in late August. Although residents of Puerto Rico are US citizens, they are not allowed to vote in presidential elections.
Earlier this year, Charlie Rodríguez, president of Puerto Rico's Democratic Party, said he would seek to hold a symbolic presidential election in November for those on the island eager to cast a vote for the next president.
Biden shows his willingness to debate with Trump
Last week, Biden made his most unequivocal statement, expressing his readiness to engage in a debate with his presumptive Republican opponent, Donald Trump, later this fall. Later, Trump responded by stating his own readiness for the debate, while also raising doubts about Biden's willingness to participate.
Biden's comment came during an interview with the Sirius XM radio host Howard Stern, who asked him whether he would participate in debates against Trump. “I am, somewhere. I don't know when. But I am happy to debate him” Biden said. So far, Biden's reelection campaign had declined to commit to participating in the debates, a hallmark of every general election presidential campaign since 1976.
US presidential elections 2024
It should be mentioned here that the 2024 United States presidential election will be the 60th quadrennial presidential election, scheduled to take place in the first week of November. Voters will elect a president and vice president for a term of four years. Incumbent President Joe Biden, a member of the Democratic Party, is running for re-election. Meanwhile, his predecessor Donald Trump, a member of the Republican Party, is also running for re-election to a second, nonconsecutive term. Prior to the general election, political parties will choose their nominees at nominating conventions.
(With inputs from AP)
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