Washington — Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló is spearheading an effort to move up the date of the island's 2020 Democratic primary to highlight the pressing issues facing the U.S. territory, which some progressives worry are being neglected on the campaign trail.

The measure, which is expected to pass the island's legislature in the coming weeks, would move the primary from the first Sunday in June to the last Sunday in March. Rosselló said the change would incentivize the two-dozen Democrats running for president to actively address proposals to remedy some of the island's woes, including stalled hurricane recovery efforts and a prolonged fiscal crisis.

"You have a platform there in Puerto Rico to really zero in. It can be kind of the ground zero of the discussions of some of the issues that are important for the Democratic candidates," the governor told CBS News during an exclusive interview in Washington. "And I hope — and I expect — others to come to the island."

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On climate change, Rosselló said Puerto Rico can become a "model" for national efforts to reduce carbon emissions and expand renewable energy. He said the Caribbean island, unlike most areas in the mainland U.S., has felt the brunt of human-induced climate change by way of rising sea levels, severe droughts and powerful storms, like the pair that pummeled the U.S. territory in 2017.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/puerto-rico-2020-primary-gov-ricardo-rossello-looks-to-move-up-date-of-democratic-contest/