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 Speaking at a convention for Puerto Rican gubernatorial candidate
Ricardo Rossello, a member of the island's pro-statehood party,
Carson said he "would be incredibly honored and delighted for Puerto
Rico to be the 51st state."
"One thing I've found when I have come to Puerto Rico is extremely
friendly people," the 64-year-old retired neurosurgeon said, adding
that "we have probably more patriotic Puerto Ricans than almost any
other state."
Statehood is a central political issue in Puerto Rico, a U.S.
territory whose two main parties are the pro-statehood PNP and
pro-commonwealth PPD, each of which have Democrats and Republicans
within their ranks.
The island's fate has also made it onto U.S. presidential
candidates' agendas because Puerto Ricans can vote in presidential
primaries - though not general elections - and because Florida, a
key swing state, is home to nearly 1 million Puerto Ricans.
 Carson has found little support among Republicans in Puerto Rico,
who mostly favor candidates Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, both of whom
have endorsed statehood for the U.S. commonwealth.
Carson called Puerto Rico "very strategically located for the
defense of America, right near Cuba."
"We have the Chinese already coming in and infiltrating the
Caribbean," he said. "We also have to recognize that we have global
jihadists who are trying to destroy us. We need unity."
Carson, neck and neck with Donald Trump atop Republican polls, spoke
for about five minutes without addressing recent headline-grabbing
allegations that he misrepresented facts surrounding a scholarship
offer to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and fabricated
details of a violent exchange with a friend as a child.
Those supporting statehood reason that inclusion for Puerto Rico in
the U.S. would provide equal treatment on issues like federal
Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements, while those against are wary
of risking the island's independence and cultural identity.
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With Puerto Rico facing a $72 billion debt load and a roughly 45
percent poverty rate, Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla of the
pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party, faces historically low
approval ratings and strong challenges in next year's election from
statehood candidates such as Rossello and Puerto Rico Resident
Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi.
Carson's trip to Puerto Rico was seen as an effort to push himself
onto the agenda there.
A person close to Rossello's campaign told Reuters on Saturday that
Carson was not invited by the campaign, but sought to be allowed to
speak in the days leading up to the rally.
Indeed, Rossello's rally was an unexpected choice for Carson.
Rossello is a Democrat, and his running mate, Puerto Rican House
minority leader Jenniffer Gonzalez, is a Republican who supports
Bush.
Rossello, 36, has lit a fire in some voters with a zealous,
energetic and youthful persona. He is the son of former Puerto Rico
Governor Pedro Rossello, who governed in the 1990s during relatively
prosperous times.
(Reporting by Howard Schneider; Editing by Alan Crosby)
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