In November of 2008, Luis Fortuño was elected Governor of Puerto Rico by the biggest margin of electoral victory in 44 years. Luis Fortuño is the first Republican in 40 years to be elected to occupy La Fortaleza, the oldest governor’s mansion under the American flag.
In addition to winning the governorship, Fortuño led the island’s New Progressive Party – a local party of pro-statehood Republicans and Democrats – to sweeping victories at both the legislative and municipal levels, winning two-thirds majorities of the Puerto Rico Senate and House of Representatives, as well as 48 of the island’s 78 mayors. His party’s candidate for Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner seat in the United States Congress, Pedro Pierluisi (D), was also elected by a wide margin.
Upon taking office, Governor Fortuño’s top priority has been to tackle the island’s deep economic recession, which preceded the economic recession on the U.S. mainland by three years. Fortuño is working to revitalize Puerto Rico’s economy by putting the government’s fiscal house in order, spurring private sector growth and pushing forward infrastructure projects that support economic development.
At the outset of his drive for Puerto Rico’s economic rebound, Fortuño has taken steps to reign in government spending, as well as worked to ensure that Federal stimulus money is used efficiently and effectively. In addition to his plans to jump start the economy, the Governor is also taking steps to secure funding parity for Federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid, as well as strengthen education.
Prior to his election as Governor, Fortuño represented the 4 million American citizens of Puerto Rico in Washington, as their sole elected representative in the United States Congress. During his four years in Congress, Fortuño worked to secure equal rights and parity in Federal funding for Puerto Rico. Under his leadership, Puerto Rico received the first increase in Medicaid funding in over nine years.
In Congress, Fortuño served as Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, and he was the first Puerto Rican to serve on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Fortuño also served as Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Conference.
Prior to his election to Congress, Fortuño practiced law at two San Juan law firms, specializing in corporate finance and real estate law. He also previously served, from 1993 to 1997 as Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and President of the Hotel Development Corporation.
From 1994 to 1997, Fortuño also simultaneously served as Puerto Rico's Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce. In that capacity, Fortuño spearheaded the adoption of the Uniform Commercial Code, the revamping of the General Corporations Law, an aggressive investment package to jumpstart the tourism industry, and the largest tax cut in Puerto Rico's history. When he left that post, Puerto Rico's unemployment rate had reached its lowest level in over a generation.
Governor Fortuño was born and raised in the capital city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He earned his bachelor's degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) at the University of Virginia School of Law. He and his wife, attorney Lucé Vela, are the proud parents of teenage triplets María Luisa, Guillermo Luis and Luis Roberto.
© 2009 PRFAA |