Looking Backward, Looking Forward: Puerto Ricans in the Quest for the New York City Mayoralty

This paper examines the history of Puerto Rican efforts to win the mayoralty of the city of New York, highlighting the 2005 election. By doing so, it seeks to fill a gap in the history of Puerto Rican political participation in New York. The struggle of Puerto Rican elites to win representa- tion at the highest level of office in the city is long-standing. The paper chronicles the circumstances and terms according to which they sought political incorporation at that level. . The paper looks critically at the issue of runoff elections. The role of money is examined through the lens of the 2005 election. The results of the 2005 vote are also included. The paper concludes with a reflection on the prospects for Puerto Rican (Latino or minority) political representation at the mayoral level in New York