# Resident commissioner of Puerto Rico

The resident commissioner of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Comisionado Residente de Puerto Rico) is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives elected by the voters of the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico every four years, the only member of the House of Representatives who serves a four-year term. Because the commissioner represents the entire territory of Puerto Rico irrespective of its population, and is not subject to congressional apportionment like those House members representing the 50 states, Puerto Rico's at-large congressional district is the largest congressional district by population in all of the United States.
Commissioners function in every respect as a member of Congress, including sponsoring legislation and serving on congressional committees, where they can vote on legislation, but they cannot vote on the final disposition of legislation on the House floor. They receive a salary of $174,000 per year and are identified as Member of Congress.
The current commissioner is Pablo José Hernández Rivera of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), the youngest person to hold the post. He is also affiliated with the Democratic Party (D) at the national level.
Other U.S. territories have a similar representative position called a delegate.

## History

The United States Congress had seated non-voting "delegates" from various territories since 1794 as the country expanded across North America; these territories were all eventually admitted as states. The position of delegate was a legislative position with a two-year term, just like a member of Congress.
The United States acquired several overseas possessions as a result of the Spanish–American War. While the House of Representatives voted in 1900 for Puerto Rico to select a delegate, Congress instead devised a new form of territorial representative in the resident commissioner. United States senator John Coit Spooner argued that granting a territory a delegate implied that it was on the path to statehood, which he asserted was not guaranteed for the new possessions acquired in the war, such as Puerto Rico and the Philippines. In fact, more than a century later, neither has become a state. (Puerto Rico remains a U.S. territory, while the Philippines became an independent republic in 1946.)
The original resident commissioner positions served a two-year term, though it was later extended to four years starting in 1920. The position also had executive responsibility in addition to legislative ones. The term had been used as to parts of the British Empire (see resident commissioner), but in an almost opposite sense; sent or recognized as the Crown's representative to manage a territory. In the American sense, resident commissioner always refers to a representative of a territory to the national government.
This representation has evolved over time. At first, the resident commissioner could not even be present on the floor of the House of Representatives; floor privileges were granted in 1902. In 1904, the officeholder gained the right to speak during debate and serve on the Committee on Insular Affairs, which had responsibility for the territories gained in the Spanish-American War.
In 1933, Resident Commissioner Santiago Iglesias was appointed to additional committees, and each of his successors has served on other committees also. But only in 1970 did the resident commissioner gain the right to vote in committees, gain seniority, or hold leadership positions.
The present-day resident commissioner, like the delegates from other territories and the District of Columbia, has almost all of the rights of other House members, including being able to sponsor bills and offer amendments and motions. Territorial representatives remain unable to vote on matters before the full House.
The position of resident commissioner in Washington is described as a democratic anomaly and does not meet any of the principles of true political representation. The resident commissioner acts as a case of macro-clientelism between the sole resident commissioner and all Puerto Ricans.

## Summary of resident commissioners of Puerto Rico

* 1901–1905: Federico Degetau
* 1905–1911: Tulio Larrínaga
* 1911–1916: Luis Muñoz Rivera
* 1916–1917: vacant
* 1917–1932: Félix Córdova Dávila
* 1932–1932: vacant
* 1932–1933: José Lorenzo Pesquera
* 1933–1939: Santiago Iglesias
* 1939–1939: vacant
* 1939–1945: Bolívar Pagán
* 1945–1946: Jesús T. Piñero
* 1946–1946: vacant
* 1946–1965: Antonio Fernós-Isern
* 1965–1969: Santiago Polanco Abreu
* 1969–1973: Jorge Luis Córdova
* 1973–1977: Jaime Benítez Rexach
* 1977–1985: Baltasar Corrada del Río
* 1985–1992: Jaime Fuster
* 1992–1993: Antonio Colorado
* 1993–2001: Carlos Romero Barceló
* 2001–2005: Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
* 2005–2009: Luis Fortuño
* 2009–2017: Pedro Pierluisi
* 2017–2025: Jenniffer González-Colón
* 2025–present: Pablo Hernández Rivera

## List of resident commissioners of Puerto Rico
### Resident commissioners under U.S. colonial administration

| No. | Resident Commissioner | Party | U.S. affiliation | Years | Congress | Electoral history |
| District established March 4, 1901 |||||||
| 1 | Federico Degetau y González (San Juan) | Republican | Republican | March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1905 3 years, 364 days | 57th 58th | Elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Retired. |
| 2 | Tulio Larrínaga (San Juan) | Unionist | [data missing] | March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1911 5 years, 364 days | 59th 60th 61st | Elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Retired. |
| 3 | Luis Muñoz Rivera (San Juan) | Unionist | [data missing] | March 4, 1911 – November 15, 1916 5 years, 256 days | 62nd 63rd 64th | Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Died. |
| – | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | November 16, 1916 – August 6, 1917 | 64th 65th | |
| 4 | Félix L. M. Córdova Dávila (San Juan) | Unionist | [data missing] | August 7, 1917 – April 11, 1932 14 years, 238 days | 65th 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected to finish Rivera's term. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1928. Resigned to become Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. |
| – | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | April 12, 1932 – April 14, 1932 | 72nd | |
| 5 | José Lorenzo Pesquera (Bayamon) | Independent | [data missing] | April 15, 1932 – March 3, 1933 322 days | 72nd | Elected to finish Dávila's term. Retired. |
| 6 | Santiago Iglesias Pantín (San Juan) | Socialist | Socialist Party of America | March 4, 1933 – December 5, 1939 6 years, 276 days | 73rd 74th 75th 76th | Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1936. Died. |
| – | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | December 5, 1939 – December 26, 1939 | 76th | |
| 7 | Bolívar Pagán (San Juan) | Republican Union | [data missing] | December 26, 1939 – January 3, 1945 5 years, 1 day | 76th 77th 78th | Appointed to finish Pantín's term. Elected in 1940. Retired. |
| 8 | Jesús T. Piñero Jiménez (Canovanas) | Popular Democratic | Democratic | January 3, 1945 – September 2, 1946 1 year, 242 days | 79th | Elected in 1944. Resigned to become Governor of Puerto Rico. |

### Resident commissioners under the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Popular Democratic Party (7)  New Progressive Party (6)
U.S. party affiliation
Democratic Party (11)  Republican Party (2)
| No. | Resident Commissioner | Party | Affiliation within U.S. politics | Years | Congress | Electoral history |
| 9 | Antonio Fernós-Isern (Santurce) | Popular Democratic | Democratic | September 11, 1946 – January 3, 1965 18 years, 23 days | 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th | Appointed to finish Piñero's term. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1960. Retired. |
| 10 | Santiago Polanco Abreu (Isabela) | Popular Democratic | Democratic | January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1969 4 years | 89th 90th | Elected in 1964. Lost re-election. |
| 11 | Jorge Luis Córdova (San Juan) | New Progressive | Democratic | January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1973 4 years | 91st 92nd | Elected in 1968. Lost re-election. |
| 12 | Jaime Benítez (Cayey) | Popular Democratic | Democratic | January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1977 4 years | 93rd 94th | Elected in 1972. Lost re-election. |
| 13 | Baltasar Corrada del Río (Rio Piedras) | New Progressive | Democratic | January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1985 8 years | 95th 96th 97th 98th | Elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1980. Retired to run for mayor of San Juan. |
| 14 | Jaime Fuster (Condado) | Popular Democratic | Democratic | January 3, 1985 – March 3, 1992 7 years, 60 days | 99th 100th 101st 102nd | Elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1988. Resigned to become Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. |
| 15 | Antonio Colorado (San Juan) | Popular Democratic | Democratic | March 4, 1992 – January 3, 1993 305 days | 102nd | Appointed to finish Fuster's term. Lost election to full term. |
| 16 | Carlos Romero Barceló (San Juan) | New Progressive | Democratic | January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2001 8 years | 103rd 104th 105th 106th | Elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1996. Lost re-election. |
| 17 | Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (Hato Rey) | Popular Democratic | Democratic | January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2005 4 years | 107th 108th | Elected in 2000. Retired to run for Governor of Puerto Rico. |
| 18 | Luis Fortuño (Guaynabo) | New Progressive | Republican | January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2009 4 years | 109th 110th | Elected in 2004. Retired to run for Governor of Puerto Rico. |
| 19 | Pedro Pierluisi (San Juan) | New Progressive | Democratic | January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2017 8 years | 111th 112th 113th 114th | Elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2012. Retired to run for Governor of Puerto Rico. |
| 20 | Jenniffer González-Colón (Carolina) | New Progressive | Republican | January 3, 2017 – January 2, 2025 8 years | 115th 116th 117th 118th | Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2020. Retired to run for Governor of Puerto Rico. |
| 21 | Pablo Hernández Rivera (San Juan) | Popular Democratic | Democratic | January 3, 2025 – present | 119th | Elected in 2024. |

## Recent elections
### 2000

2000 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Popular Democratic | Aníbal Acevedo Vilá | 983,488 | 49.34 |
| | New Progressive | Carlos Romero Barceló (incumbent) | 905,690 | 45.43 |
| | Independence | Manuel Rodríguez Orellana | 95,067 | 4.77 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 9,238 | 0.46 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,993,483 | 100.00 |
| | Popular Democratic gain from New Progressive | Popular Democratic gain from New Progressive | Popular Democratic gain from New Progressive | Popular Democratic gain from New Progressive |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2004

2004 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | New Progressive | Luis Fortuño | 956,828 | 48.83 |
| | Popular Democratic | Roberto Prats Palerm | 945,691 | 48.26 |
| | Independence | Edwin Irizarry Mora | 56,589 | 2.89 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 445 | 0.02 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,959,553 | 100.00 |
| | New Progressive gain from Popular Democratic | New Progressive gain from Popular Democratic | New Progressive gain from Popular Democratic | New Progressive gain from Popular Democratic |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2008

2008 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | New Progressive | Pedro Pierluisi | 996,997 | 52.70 |
| | Popular Democratic | Alfredo Salazar | 799,746 | 42.27 |
| | Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico | Carlos Velazquez | 45,154 | 2.39 |
| | Independence | Jessica Martinez | 37,129 | 1.96 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 12,773 | 0.68 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,891,799 | 100.00 |
| | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2012

2012 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | New Progressive | Pedro Pierluisi (incumbent) | 905,066 | 48.76 |
| | Popular Democratic | Rafael Cox Alomar | 881,181 | 47.47 |
| | Independence | Juan Manuel Mercado | 38,941 | 2.10 |
| | Working People's | Félix Córdova Iturregu | 13,120 | 0.71 |
| | Sovereign Union Movement | María de Lourdes Guzmán | 11,764 | 0.63 |
| | Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico | Sadiasept Guillont | 5,647 | 0.30 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 626 | 0.03 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,856,345 | 100.00 |
| | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

2016 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | New Progressive | Jenniffer González-Colón | 718,591 | 48.80 |
| | Popular Democratic | Héctor Ferrer | 695,073 | 47.21 |
| | Independence | Hugo Rodriguez | 39,704 | 2.70 |
| | Working People's | Mariana Nogales Molinelli | 19,033 | 1.29 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,472,401 | 100.00 |
| | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2020

2020 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | New Progressive | Jenniffer González-Colón (incumbent) | 490,273 | 40.83 |
| | Popular Democratic | Aníbal Acevedo Vilá | 384,619 | 32.03 |
| | Citizens' Victory | Zayira Jordán Conde | 154,751 | 12.89 |
| | Project Dignity | Ada Norah Henriquez | 94,059 | 7.83 |
| | Independence | Luis Piñero González II | 76,398 | 6.36 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 788 | 0.07 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,200,888 | 100.00 |
| | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold | New Progressive hold |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2024

2024 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election :
| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Pablo Hernández Rivera | Democratic | | Popular Democratic Party | 482,938 | 44.55 |
| | William Villafañe | Republican | | New Progressive Party | 379,624 | 35.02 |
| | Ana Irma Rivera Lassén | Alianza de País | | Citizens' Victory Movement | 107,888 | 9.95 |
| | Viviana Ramírez Morales | Republican | | Project Dignity | 56,974 | 5.26 |
| | Roberto Velázquez | Alianza de País | | Puerto Rican Independence Party | 56,498 | 5.21 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 1,083,922 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 1,083,922 | 94.67 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 60,996 | 5.33 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,144,918 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | | – |