2020 PR PNP Gubernatorial Primary

Thank's to garnering most of the institutional support in the PNP before Vázquez even announced her candidacy, Pierluisi was able to accomplish a feat only done once before in PR History - Dethrowning an incumbent governor seeking reelection through the party.

However, Vázquez did not go down without a fight, garnering a significant ammount of support from former Electeds, even if comparatively few actual electeds from the PNP - with one of her biggest Endorsers being Popular former PNP Governor, Carlos Romero Barceló.

However, it was not enough. With Pierluisi carrying most of the endorsements in the PNP, he was able to triumph over Vazquez in some of the most ideologically conservative electorates of the PNP Primary - in fact, almost everywhere.

Winning in Places hostile to Liberal Penepos such as Arecibo (Wholly due to the support of the Mayor there) Loiza, the liberal San Juan/Caguas Metros and Southeastern Corner of the Island where the Entire PNP Machine supported Pierluisi.

By contrast, Vazquez only won in the areas where the mayors either supported her, stayed neutral, or where the Municipio was overwhelmingly conservative (Florida). With her best municipio being San Sebastian, where the mayor was a major Vazquez supporter.

The story by which Vázquez became governor is long, and a bit convoluted but in short: upon the release of a group chat that included Governor Ricardo Rosselló and multiple high ranking officials in his administration, he was embroiled in scandal.

This caused massive protests, thereby pressuring (and allowing) for PNP leaders to oust Rosselló in favor of a temporary leader who would be more in line with their factions. These leaders at the time were first Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González and Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz.

Upon their instruction, house speaker Johnny Méndez moved to impeach Rosselló, but not before beginning  the appointment process of frm Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi to be Secretary of State, the position that succeeds the governor in the event of a Vacancy

Pierluisi, the man Rosselló had beaten in the 2016 Gubernatorial primary, had been out of office since 2017 and was as such wholy untied with the past three years of Puerto Rican Politics—and with his appointment would be able to at least preserve some of Rosselló's stature within the party.

But this failed, despite being Confirmed by the House of Representatives, Schatz refused to move on his nomination, eventually resulting in the SCOPR throwing out Pierluisi's assumption of the governorship as he wasn't confirmed as secretary of state by the time Rosselló's resignation took effect.

Pierluisi funcionally inmediatly announced he would run for the governorship in 2020 after this failure, with most officials backing him early on to try and preserve unity in the party wounded after the protests. However there were some that were discontent with this arangement.

These mayors, such as that of San Sebastian and Aibonito would form the Backbone of Vazquez's support. However, as the tide's in the PNP had shifted towards Pierluisi, most major leaders either wholeheartedly supported him (such as Jenniffer González) or refused to publically opposed him (such as Schatz)

In addition, he also did well with the most educated segment of the PNP electorate—such as that of Northern Guaynabo.