Puerto Rico vote endorses statehood with asterisk, island remains divided

<p>Puerto Rico's Gov. Luis Fortuno concedes victory to his main challenger, Alejandro Garcia Padilla during a press conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012. Fortuno is from Puerto Rico's pro-statehood party while his rival supports maintaining the island's semi-autonomous status. Fortuno, also a Republican, had been a supporter of Mitt Romney and campaigned for him in Florida. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)</p>

Ricardo Arduengo

Puerto Rico's Gov. Luis Fortuno concedes victory to his main challenger, Alejandro Garcia Padilla during a press conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012. Fortuno is from Puerto Rico's pro-statehood party while his rival supports maintaining the island's semi-autonomous status. Fortuno, also a Republican, had been a supporter of Mitt Romney and campaigned for him in Florida. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

By The Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Ricans have supported U.S. statehood in a vote that jubilant members of the pro-statehood party say is the strongest sign yet that the Caribbean island territory is on the road to losing its second-class status.

But Tuesday’s vote comes with an asterisk and an imposing political reality: The island remains bitterly divided over its relationship to the United States and many question the validity of this week’s referendum.

Nearly a half million voters chose to leave a portion of the ballot blank.