25th Senate of Puerto Rico
Members
Table:
PPD PNP PIP

District

Name

Political party

At-large

Angel Rosa

PPD

At-large

Aníbal José Torres

PPD

At-large

Antonio Fas Alzamora

PPD

At-large

Cirilo Tirado

PPD

At-large

Eduardo Bhatia

PPD

At-large

Rossana López León

PPD

District I San Juan

José Nadal Power

PPD

District I San Juan

Ramón Luis Nieves

PPD

District IV Mayagüez–Aguadilla

Gilberto Rodríguez

PPD

District IV Mayagüez–Aguadilla

María Teresa González

PPD

District V Ponce

Martín Vargas Morales

PPD

District V Ponce

Ramón Ruiz

PPD

District VI Guayama

Ángel M. Rodríguez Otero

PPD

District VI Guayama

Miguel A. Pereira

PPD

District VII Humacao

Jorge Suárez

PPD

District VII Humacao

José Luis Dalmau

PPD

District VIII Carolina

Luis Daniel Rivera

PPD

District VIII Carolina

Pedro A. Rodríguez

PPD

At-large

Itzamar Peña

PNP

At-large

Larry Seilhamer Rodríguez

PNP

Drawing on the given table along with the background passages listed at the end.

Provide an answer to this question: How many `` at-large '' Senators served on the Senate before 2012 ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

At-large is a designation for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body ( notably , a city , county , state or province , nation , club or association ) , rather than a subset of that membership . At-large voting is in contrast to voting by electoral districts . If an at-large election is called to choose a single candidate , a single-winner voting system must necessarily be used . If a group of seats must be covered , many electoral systems can be possible , from proportional representation methods ( such as party-list proportional representation , or PR-STV ) to block voting .
Ángel R. Rosa Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican politician and academical . Rosa served in the 25th Senate of Puerto Rico . He has tenure at the University of Puerto Rico , Mayaguez Campus . Politically , Rosa is affiliated with the Popular Democratic Party .
The Popular Democratic Party ( Spanish : Partido Popular Democrático , PPD ) is a political party in Puerto Rico that advocates to continue as a Commonwealth of the United States with self-government . [ a ] [ b ] The party was founded in 1938 by dissidents from the Puerto Rican Liberal Party and the Unionist Party and originally promoted policies on the center-left . [ c ] In recent years , however , its leaders have described the party as centrist . [ d ] [ e ] As one of the long-standing parties on the island , the PPD has played a significant role in the history of Puerto Rico . In the early 1950s , for example , the party held a majority in the delegation convened to draft the Constitution of Puerto Rico . Once the constitution was ratified , the document was proclaimed by the party 's leader and co-founder , Luis Muñoz Marín - who , in doing so , became the first Puerto Rican governor elected by the people of Puerto Rico . The party ruled all branches of the Puerto Rican government afterward for 36 of the past 68 years , while establishing many of the institutions that permeate Puerto Rican society today . Today , the party is one of the two major parties in Puerto Rico with significant political strength . In the executive branch , the party 's last governor was Alejandro García Padilla who governed the island from 2013-2017 . It also holds minorities in the legislative and judicial branches by holding minorities in the Senate , in the House , and in the Supreme Court . The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court , however , is from the PPD ; a circumstance that allows the party to designate political appointees in the judicial branch since the Chief Justice is also constitutionally the chief judicial administrator . Finally , in the municipal landscape , the party holds more than half of the seats of mayors .
Aníbal José Jossie Torres is a Puerto Rican politician affiliated with the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Torres has served in several positions of leadership within his party . He served as Secretary of the party during the 2000s , before being appointed as Puerto Rico Chief of Staff by elected Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá in 2005 . After serving four years , he returned to his position as Secretary of the PPD , before deciding to run for the Senate of Puerto Rico at the 2012 general elections .
Antonio Tony J. Fas Alzamora ( born November 16 , 1948 in Cabo Rojo , Puerto Rico ) is a Puerto Rican politician and Senator . He is currently the longest-serving legislator in the history of Puerto Rico , having served in ten Legislative Assemblies , one House of Representatives ( from 1977 to 1980 ) , and nine Senates ( since 1980 ) .
Cirilo Tirado Rivera ( born June 14 , 1964 in Patillas , Puerto Rico ) is a Puerto Rican politician and Senator . He has been a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico since 2000 .
Eduardo Bhatia Gautier [ a ] ( born May 16 , 1964 ) is an attorney-at-law and the former 15th President of the Senate of Puerto Rico . Bhatia is also a former executive director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration and a Fulbright scholar .
Rossana López León ( born March 6 , 1969 ) is a Puerto Rican politician and public servant from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . López was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 . Before that , she served as Director of the Office of Affairs of the Elderly .
Puerto Rico Senatorial District I , also known as the Senatorial District of San Juan , is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico . It is currently represented by Miguel Romero and Henry Neumann ( both from the New Progressive Party ) .
José Rafael Nadal Power ( born December 8 , 1973 ) is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Nadal Power was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 .
Ramón Luis Nieves Pérez ( born June 13 , 1975 ) is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Nieves was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 .
Puerto Rico Senatorial District IV , also known as the Senatorial District of Mayagüez-Aguadilla , is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico . It is currently represented by Evelyn Vázquez and Luis Daniel Muñiz ( both from the New Progressive Party ) .
Gilberto Rodríguez ( born March 14 , 1975 ) is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Rodríguez was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 .
María Teresa González is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . González was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 .
Puerto Rico Senatorial District V , also known as the Senatorial District of Ponce , is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico . It is currently represented by Ramón Ruiz and Martín Vargas Morales ( both from the Popular Democratic Party ) .
Martín Vargas Morales ( born December 12 , 1971 ) is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Vargas served as Mayor of Guánica for three consecutive terms ( 2000-2012 ) . He was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 . Vargas Morales was elected mayor of Guánica in the 2000 general elections . Vargas was reelected in 2004 and 2008 . Vargas Morales ran for a seat in the Senate of Puerto Rico stating he was frustrated at how the legislative process worked against the citizens . After winning a spot on the 2012 primaries , he was elected on the general elections to represent the District of Ponce , and currently serves as senator representing Puerto Rico 's District V .
Ramón Ruiz Nieves is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Ruiz was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 . Ruiz was born in Arecibo . He has a Master 's degree in Administration and Labor Law . Ruiz has also worked as a chemist . He is currently married , with three children , and lives in Lares . Ruiz decided to run for a seat in the Senate of Puerto Rico under the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . After winning a spot on the 2012 primaries , he was elected on the general elections to represent the District of Ponce .
Puerto Rico Senatorial District VI , also known as the Senatorial District of Guayama , is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico . It is currently represented by Miguel Pereira Castillo and Angel M. Rodríguez ( from the Popular Democratic Party ) .
Ángel M. Rodríguez Otero is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Rodríguez was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 . Rodríguez was born in Comerío to a family of 10 children , including himself . He has a Master 's degree in Public Administration from the University of Puerto Rico . Rodríguez decided to run for a seat in the Senate of Puerto Rico under the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . After winning a spot on the 2012 primaries , he was elected on the general elections to represent the District of Guayama .
Miguel A. Pereira Castillo ( born September 26 , 1947 ) is a Puerto Rican politician , attorney , and public servant . Throughout his career , he has served in various government positions like Director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority , Superintendent of the Puerto Rico Police Department and Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation . In 2012 , he was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico for the District of Guayama . He is married to Public Relations Practitioner , Annie Bird .
Puerto Rico Senatorial District VII , also known as the Senatorial District of Humacao , is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico . It is currently represented by José Luis Dalmau and Miguel Laureano ( from the Popular Democratic Party ( Puerto Rico ) and New Progressive Party ( Puerto Rico ) respectively ) .
Jorge Suárez Cáceres [ a ] ( born August 24 , 1976 , in Fajardo , Puerto Rico ) is a Puerto Rican politician and Senator . He has been a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico since 2006 .
José Luis Dalmau Santiago ( born September 19 , 1966 ) is a Puerto Rican attorney , politician and Senator . He is the current assistant party leader of the Popular Democratic Party in the Senate of Puerto Rico .
Puerto Rico Senatorial District VIII , also known as the Senatorial District of Carolina , is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico . It is currently represented by Pedro A. Rodríguez and Luis Daniel Rivera ( both from the Popular Democratic Party ) .
Luis Daniel Rivera Filomeno is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Rivera was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 . Rivera was born in Carolina . He has a Bachelor 's degree in Political Science . Rivera has also worked with the Municipality of Carolina . He is currently married , with two children . Rivera decided to run for a seat in the Senate of Puerto Rico under the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . After winning a spot on the 2012 primaries , he was elected on the general elections to represent the District of Carolina .
Pedro Alfonzo Rodríguez González ( born September 25 , 1968 ) is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) . Rodríguez was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012 . He also served as member of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico in two separate instances ( 2001-2009 and 2011-2013 ) , the last one to fill the vacancy left by Luis Farinacci .
Itzamar Peña Ramírez ( born February 10 , 1974 , in Humacao , Puerto Rico ) is a Puerto Rican politician . She is currently serving as a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico since 2008 . She was also Mayor of Las Piedras from 2004 to 2008 .
The New Progressive Party ( Spanish : Partido Nuevo Progresista , PNP ) is a political party in Puerto Rico that advocates statehood . The PNP is one of the two major parties in Puerto Rico with significant political strength and currently holds both the seat of the governor and of the resident commissioner . In legislative matters , the party has a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives ; a majority that gives the party full control over all legislations , including constitutional amendments , without political opposition . These majorities over the legislative branch , the control over the governorship seat , and a majority of Supreme Court justices affiliated with the party give the PNP absolute control over all three branches of government without political opposition . The party , however , has a minority in the number of mayors on the island . Domestically , the party is primarily contrasted by two other political parties : the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) , which advocates maintaining the current political status of Puerto Rico as that of an unincorporated territory of the United States with self-government , and the smaller Puerto Rican Independence Party ( PIP ) , which advocates for the independence of Puerto Rico . [ a ] [ b ] In national/mainland politics , members are split , with some party members affiliating with the Republican Party and some with the Democratic Party . The party traces its history back to 1967 . In that year , the Partido Estadista Republicano instructed its members to not participate in a referendum held that year . Unhappy with the mandate , several dissidents left the Statehood Party and founded the PNP afterwards .
Lawrence N. Larry Seilhamer Rodríguez is a Puerto Rican politician and member of the Senate of Puerto Rico since January 7 , 2009 . He is affiliated with the pro-statehood New Progressive Party ( PNP ) . Seilhamer is also a former basketball player for the Baloncesto Superior Nacional from 1972 to 1984 .