Marc Anthony Urges Puerto Ricans to Vote Trump Out

Marc Anthony — one of Puerto Rico’s greatest and most famous artists — is urging Puerto Ricans in key battleground states to vote President Trump out. He joined forces with the Lincoln Project, a political committee made up of former Republicans against Trump, appearing in their ad for states including Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. In Florida alone, there are over 850,000 Puerto Ricans who can vote and they hold 27 percent of the state’s share of the Latino electorate in this election — second to Cubans who represent 29 percent.

“We remember the lies. We remember the disrespect. We remember you left too many of us to die,” Anthony said in the ad referring to Trump’s response to Hurricane Maria.

A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Puerto Rico. We must never forget Donald Trump's inactions led to the loss of over 3000 American lives.

Thank you, @MarcAnthony for being a voice for the Puerto Rican community and a #LincolnLatino. pic.twitter.com/rGzZUeiJEL

— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 30, 2020

Trump’s response to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017 included limiting relief funds for the island and infamously throwing paper towels at residents — an image seared in the minds of many as symbolic of his disrespect.  Hurricane Maria is the deadliest U.S.-based natural disaster in 100 years that reportedly killed between 2,975 and 4,000 people in the US territory in 2017 and left the island without a fully functioning electrical grid for nearly a year. Trump also said he was “The best thing that’s ever happened to Puerto Rico”  which received backlash from celebs including Anthony who tweeted, “Wow Mr. whatever you are. We all just read your DEMENTED tweet about my beloved Puerto Rico. Coming from a gruesome individual like YOU it makes perfect sense.”

“Our island and our people have suffered from natural disasters, Covid, and a wrecked economy,” Anthony said in the ad. “We have also suffered from another disaster, a president who treats Puerto Ricans with insults and contempt, who withholds aid and laughs at our suffering.”

Puerto Rican leaders including San Juan’s mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz have been vocal critics of Trump, echoing Anthony’s sentiments. “Trump treated us like our lives did not matter they surely did not matter to him,” she recently tweeted.

Trump treated us like our lives did not matter they surely did not matter to him. Trump nos tiró con papel de inodoro pues vótale en contra el 3 de noviembre 2020. https://t.co/kAq5kMMSa1

— Carmen Yulín Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) October 30, 2020

There are more than 500,000 eligible Latinx voters in Pennsylvania and a majority are Puerto Ricans while as many as 5000 have relocated to Cleveland, Ohio following Hurricane Maria. The growing number of Puerto Ricans in Ohio, a notorious swing state, could make a major difference for Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s run for president. In 2012, nearly 53 percent of Puerto Ricans voted, up from 46 percent in 2000, according to the Center for Puerto Rican Studies. For the 2016 election, a report from the University of South Florida found that  Puerto Ricans had the largest turnout at 55 percent reinforcing why their votes are crucial.

“Puerto Ricans came together to rebuild because we are strong and resilient. Puerto Ricans deserve better than Trump because we are better than Trump, better than his contempt, better than his neglect, better than his lies,” Anthony added.