12 seconds ago 2009-12-10T16:21:26-08:00
Republicans are supporting Judge Sonia Sotomayor -- at least in Puerto Rico.
The Republican Party of Puerto Rico has issued a resolution supporting the nomination of Sotomayor to the Supreme Court and calling on the U.S. Senate to conduct a ''fair and thorough'' hearing based on her judicial qualifications and experience.
The League of United Latin American Citizens released the resolution Monday. The Hispanic advocacy group is holding its annual convention in San Juan this week and will be hosting a ''watch party'' so people can catch the confirmation hearing. They also have an "action room" so the judge’s supporters can quickly dash off a letter to senators.
To be sure, U.S. national political parties don't carry the same weight in Puerto Rico as they do on the mainland. Politics in the island largely revolve around the island's relationship to the U.S., with the Popular Party backing the semiautonomous commonwealth status and the New Progressive Party supporting statehood. There's also an independence party but they draw relatively few votes.
The Progressive Party tends to lean Republican and the pro-commonwealth Popular Party leans Democratic but neither is officially affiliated with either of the major U.S. parties.
-Ben Fox, AP news editor, San Juan, Puerto Rico
