Mitt Romney Makes His Closing Pitch for Puerto Rico Primary

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney made his final pitch to Puerto Rico Republicans in an open letter sent out on Friday. Puerto Rico holds its primary -- with 23 delegates at stake -- on Sunday.

Romney played up his support from Gov. Luis Fortu of Puerto Rico and focused on economic issues.

Governor Fortu understands what I understand from my long experience working in the private sector: the most critical thing to get the economy rolling again is for government to get out of the way," Romney wrote. We need lower taxes and to eliminate unnecessary regulations. We need to make our government simpler, smaller, and smarter. Every job created on the island is another American job added to our nations economic comeback.

As president, I would begin by reversing the policies set by Washington that are having a negative impact on the economy of Puerto Rico and strangling the economy of the country at large. The only way to begin this recovery is to remove Barack Obama from office and replace him with someone who understands how jobs are created and how they are lost, Romney added. Ive spent most of my life turning around failing companies and helping to start new ones which created new jobs. Its time to think seriously about eliminating the obstacles to economic growth in Puerto Rico and in the United States as a whole. If I am elected president, that will be my goal.

Romney also pledged to settle the islands 113-year political status question while not specifically saying what he intended to support.

Around the world, the United States has helped plant the seeds of democracy, Romney wrote. Meanwhile, close to 4 million American citizens in Puerto Rico do not enjoy the same rights and privileges of democracy as their other fellow citizens. It is time to close the book on one of the great unresolved questions of American democracy. As president, I will provide the leadership and resources necessary to ensure that this century-old question gets resolved.That is my solemn pledge.

With Republican rival Rick Santorum campaigning in Puerto Rico this week, the Romney team is taking aim at him. On Thursday, speaker of the Puerto Rican House, Jenniffer Gonzez-Col, the vice chairman of the commonwealths GOP, came out swinging at Santorum.

For former Senator Santorum, a fair and democratic majority vote in favor of statehood is not enough, she said. He demands more, but doesnt say what would satisfy him. Democracy does not work that way. Statehood is not automatic, nobody seriously says it is, but it is our right as American citizens to claim for it and a majority vote for statehood is a vote to initiate the process.