Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi concedes defeat in surprise primary upset by Jenniffer González

SAN JUAN (AP) — Puerto Rico congressional representative Jenniffer González defeated Gov. Pedro Pierluisi in a surprise upset during a primary election held Sunday by their pro-statehood party.

The two ran on the same ticket four years ago under the New Progressive Party, but González, a Republican, announced her plan to challenge Pierluisi, a Democrat, in early December. Public jabs between the two turned acrimonious.

“What happened is very painful, and I didn’t expect it, but let no one think that I’m going to slow down in the remainder of this four-year period,” Pierluisi said late Sunday as he congratulated González.

He addressed his supporters briefly as González celebrated with hers while results continued to trickle in.

González obtained 56% of the vote compared with Pierluisi’s 44%, with an estimated tens of thousands of votes still uncounted. She is the first female gubernatorial candidate to secure a primary win for the New Progressive Party since Sila María Calderón, who became Puerto Rico’s first female governor in 2000.