Rick Santorum thinks Puerto Rico should be fluent in English before they are granted statehood.
Santorum told the El Vocero newspaper, “As a condition for admission people would and could speak both languages, but they’d have to speak English. That would be a requirement.”
He added that was important that we give the island the “gift of English,” in order to become fully integrated into the economy.
This could not bode well for the GOP's issue with Hispanic voters. In a head to head match up with Rick Santorum, Barack Obama's poll numbers among likely Hispanic voters are 69%. Santorum came in at 14%. In the same poll Obama trounced Mitt Romney 70% to 14%.
The United States does not have an official language. The island of Puerto Rico lists Spanish and English as their official languages. The Hawaiian islands are officially bi-lingual with Hawaiian and English. Some states with large Hispanic populations like Florida and California list English as their official language.
Ed will have more on this story tonight at 8p ET on MSNBC!
What do you think? Can the GOP mend the divide they are creating with the Hispanic voters?
