After the party lost the governorship in 2016, the 2020 Partido Popular Democratico primary for governor saw three candidates trying to become the PPD nominee, Senate minority leader Eduardo Bhatia, San Juan mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, and Carlos "Charlie" Delgado Altieri.
While Bhatia led throughout most of the campaign period Charlie pulled ahead during July and August, being at 44% to Bhatia’s 26% & Carmen Yulín’s 16% in a Radio isla poll, and Charlie was at 39% to Bhatia’s 35% to Yulín’s 21% in a Radio Isla poll.
Overall Charlie’s win can be attributed to a few factors:
1) Bhatia’s support for the privatization of the Energy distribution system in Puerto Rico, and the resulting in the Unions campaigning hard against him
2) Carmen Yulín being seen as an Independentista by the electorate, in addition to her bad record as Alcaldesa(Bhatia & Charlie both were fine with ELA though Bhatia favors closer ties with the US)
& 3) Institutional Support for Charlie from most of the PPD Municipal establishment, while they had similar support among the legislative establishment (though Charlie Edged out Bhatia).
Regardless of the factors, Charlie was able to Landslide the competition to win the PPD Nomination, Performing Strongest in his native Northwest corner of the island Around Isabela, Charlie won all but 2 Municipios, Guaynabo and San Juan, both Bhatia's Yulíns home base.
However, Charlie performed poorly relative to his results in the Urban cores which were Bhatia’s & Carmen Yulín’s base of support, due to Charlie Delgado underperforming with, though still winning over some, social Liberals in the PPD primary, thanks to the union campaign against Bhatia and Charlie's establishment support
Furthermore, Charlie’s underperformance with Social Liberals in this primary due to his social conservatism would turn out to be a foreshadowing to the General Election where his Collapse with them in the San Juan Metro would end up costing him the governorship.
In summation, Due to having more institutional support, Bhatia supporting Privatization, and Yulín being incredibly unpopular with the PPD Base, then Isabela Mayor Carlos Delgado Altieri was able to win the PPD Nomination in a landslide.
Taking a look at the Results by Legislative district the coalitions become clearer, with Charlie winning 36/40 house districts & 7/8 Senate Districts, Bhatia winning 3/40 House Districts and one Senate District, and Carmen Yulín winning 1 house district and no senate districts.
Similar to the results by Municipio Charlie's worst areas were the inmediate Ponce Metro, Metro San Juan, Metro Caguas, and Guayama Salinas Corridor.
Lastly, I'll note that Mayagüez is similar to these municipios in political culture, but because of Charlie's Home region advantage he was able to pull strong margins in the longtime PPD Stronghold.
One of two municipios that Isabela Mayor Carlos Delgado Altieri lost in the 2020 PPD Primaries, San Juan, resulted in an interesting coalition that is incredibly revealing as to the city's political landscape.
Carlos himself came within 4% of winning the city because of his strength in the Prediminantly PNP areas, such as the Caseríos in Sabana Llana Norte and Gobernador Piñero and Eastern Santurce (Subbarios Obrero, Las Casas, Merhoff, Shanghai, & Villa Palmeras)
By Contrast, Former Senate President and then Senate Minority Leader Eduardo Bhatia was strongest in the Educated Barios of Monacillo, Monacillo Urbano, Hato Rey Sur, El Cinco, the northwest of Santurce and Viejo san Juan, despite losing the northwest tip to then SJ Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto.
Carmen Yulín herself Did well in the University Bario, Hato Rey Central and Oriente, due to a mixture of her strength with the Colege students thtere and the support she got by the Christian Mita Congregation.
Combined, Bhatia and Yulín also did incredibly well in Sabana Llana sur, coming in at a combined ~60% despite Charlie winning the area outright.
bhatia's and Yulín's performance in the city is due to a mixture of educated and upscale puerto Ricans, most of which went for Bhatia, and some for Yulín, in addition to Yulín doing well in the university of Puerto Rico and the Soberanista Christian Mita Congregation that functionally block voted for her.
In the end, as mentioned earlier, despite losing the city by 4% thanks to his showings in the Caseríos, Due to landsliding the rest of the Island, Carlos "Charlie" Delgado Altieri was nominated as the PPD's Gov candidate, and went on to lose the General election to now Governor, Pedro Pierluisi (PNP)
The 2020 PPD Gubernatorial Primary, a Contest between Isabela Mayor Charlie Delgado, Senate PPD Leader & Former Senate President Eduardo Bhatia, and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz resulted in a comanding victory for relatively fresh Charlie Delgado in a heavilly Anti-Incumbent Puerto Rico.
The Results by Municipality, Senate District, and House District