Rush Limbaugh uttered a terrifying prediction Monday afternoon. Consequences from the disaster that toppled Puerto Rico’s already failing infrastructure will be more far-reaching than people expected.
“Remember the big hurricane that wiped out Puerto Rico?” Limbaugh began.
“The publisher of a newspaper in Puerto Rico is reporting that by their count, 320,000 Puerto Ricans have immigrated to the United States. Seventy percent of them to Florida… by the end of 2018 there will be nearly 400,000 to 500,000 immigrants — think illegal immigrants — in Florida, and if 60% of them register Democrat, then Florida ever voting for a Republican presidential candidate may be lost for as long as we can see.”
Whoa. If Florida falls to the Democrats, conservatives are done. Republicans might never recover from such a blow. Before anyone points out that Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and its residents are citizens, not illegals, understand that Limbaugh always weighs his words very carefully.
“A clarification,” he continued. “I know that Puerto Rican refugees are not illegal immigrants. I said that to help create a mental picture… Puerto Rican citizens are immigrating to the United States. They vote in presidential elections, a territory. But they vote in Puerto Rico.”
The future looks bleak. Florida’s new arrivals are likely to settle within the state for at least the next few years. It’ll be a long time before it becomes practical, let alone desirable, to return to Puerto Rico. Their voting power might be enough to swing Florida to the left.
“Now, I don’t know how many of these new arrivals would be able to vote in congressional elections next November. But certainly by 2020, if they remain and if they remain in Florida, if 60% register Democrat, you talk about 500,000 new arrivals, you know, Florida is what has given the Republican Party a chance at winning the White House,” warned Limbaugh.
“If the Republicans have no hope of winning Florida, just like there is no hope of winning California, and just like there’s no way Republicans are ever going to win New York, if that happens to Florida, then the Republicans are kissing the presidency good-bye for who knows how long.”