Jackson Tops Democrats in Puerto Rico

Vice President George Bush jumped to a wide lead Sunday in early returns in Puerto Rico’s winner-take-all Republican primary while the Rev. Jesse Jackson led a more closely contested Democratic field.

With 6% of the commonwealth’s precincts reporting, Bush had 1,317 votes, or 97%, while GOP rival Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas had 44 votes for 3%. At stake in the Republican contest were all 14 delegates to the national convention.

On the Democratic side, with 15% of the precincts reporting, Jackson led with 10,721 votes, or 34%, followed by Illinois Sen. Paul Simon with 6,511 votes for 21%, Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis with 6,791 for 21%, Tennessee Sen. Albert Gore Jr. with 5,660 for 18%, Missouri Rep. Richard A. Gephardt with 1,171 for 4% and Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr. with 501, for 2%.

51 Delegates at Stake

The 51 delegates at stake Sunday were expected to go uncommitted to the Democratic National Convention. In all, Puerto Rico will send 56 delegates to the convention, including five party leaders and the governor, who automatically receive seats as delegates.

One million Puerto Ricans were expected to vote Sunday in Democratic and Republican presidential primaries that also are a test of strength between the two main political parties on this Caribbean island and U.S. commonwealth.

The 33 delegates being elected Sunday will choose the leaders of the local Democratic Party, in addition to choosing the remaining 18 members of the delegation. The delegation is expected to vote as a bloc at the convention.

Both the Popular Democratic Party of Gov. Raphael Hernandez Colon and the out-of-power New Progressive Party of ex-Gov. Carlos Romero Barcelo want to control the local party so as to better influence federal legislation, patronage and the debate on Puerto Rico’s political status.

Statehood, Status Quo

The NPP wants Puerto Rico to become the 51st U.S. state. The PDP wants things to remain as they are--with Puerto Ricans as U.S. citizens with almost every right and obligation, except that they cannot vote for President in the general election and do not pay federal taxes.

On Saturday, both local parties organized miles-long caravans of supporters. PDP partisans waved their red-and-white banners of a peasant wearing a straw hat. NPP supporters draped from cars and trucks their banners showing a blue palm tree.

Acting to forestall trouble, the Police Department canceled days off and vacations, and stationed 3,000 officers at or near polling stations and party offices. The sale of alcoholic beverages was prohibited from midnight Saturday to Sunday night.