Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló ended months of equivocation and endorsed Democratic U.S. Sen Bill Nelson for re-election Monday, calling him “an enormous fighter” for the island — while sparking rebuke from some Puerto Rican supporters of his Republican opponent, Gov. Rick Scott.

Rosselló, who later in the day also endorsed Andrew Gillum in Kissimmee, the Democratic candidate for Florida governor, had played it coy over the past few months when it came to the heated Senate race between Nelson and Scott, even after Rosselló’s father, a popular former governor of the island, endorsed Nelson in June.

Rossello said it was a tough call between the two candidates.

“I really respect and value Gov. Rick Scott and everything he’s done for Puerto Rico,” Rosselló told the Orlando Sentinel in Kissimmee. “Sometimes it shocks people because they expect that political battles have to be between a superhero and a villain, when in this case in my view it’s two good men that have a lot of value to add.”

But, as he announced at Nelson’s campaign office in Orlando, “I believe in Sen. Bill Nelson.”

“It’s our obligation as Americans, as Floridians, to help them.” — Sen. Bill Nelson on Puerto Ricans

What made the difference, he said, was Nelson’s “longstanding relationship” with the island, including his push for equality for Puerto Rico when it came to Medicaid reimbursement funding and statehood, as well as his efforts to help the commonwealth after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Rosselló touted Nelson’s opposition to the GOP tax reform bill, which he said “added an additional burden” to the island, as well as Nelson’s work to add billions in funding for Puerto Rico to a House supplemental bill that originally included no money for the island.

“I remember reaching out to a friend,” Rosselló said of Nelson, “and I told him about my concerns about the recovery and we really needed the Senate to step up so that we can get the appropriate resources for Puerto Rico. At that point, that friend said, ‘Don’t worry about it. We will get it done.’”

Nelson, who also received the backing of former Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, in addition to Rosselló’s father, former Gov. Pedro Rosselló, called the younger Rosselló’s endorsement “a great, great honor.’’

“Puerto Rico is part of America,” Nelson said. “It’s our obligation as Americans, as Floridians, to help them.”

Rosselló’s move comes after outspoken criticism of President Trump’s controversial statements on Maria recovery, calling the recovery an “incredible” success and falsely claiming the official death toll of 2,975 was inflated by political enemies.

Scott, one of Trump’s original supporters, has disagreed with the president on the death toll, releasing Spanish-language ads in which he says, “When I don’t agree with what President Trump does or says, I’ve said it. My only commitment is with you.”

Scott and Nelson face off Tuesday morning in a debate hosted by Telemundo in Miramar, which will be broadcast on all Telemundo stations at 7 p.m.

Nelson criticized Scott for having “an election year conversion” on issues important to the Hispanic community, saying Scott “never supported Dreamers. Now he says he does. … He’s going all gauzy, fuzzy on immigration.”

But Scott touted his own endorsements from Puerto Rico officials, including congressional delegate Jenniffer González Colón, former Gov. Luis Fortuño, current Lt. Gov. Luis Rivera Marin and Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz.

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló ended months of equivocation and endorsed Democratic U.S. Sen Bill Nelson for re-election Monday, calling him “an enormous fighter” for the island. (Jacob Langston) (Jacob Langston)

“Helping Puerto Rico has never been about politics – it is about helping the island recover and ensuring every family displaced to Florida has the resources they need to succeed,” Scott said in a statement Sunday, also calling Rosselló “a friend.”

“Sen. Nelson can talk all he wants about writing letters or filing bills that never pass,” Scott said.

Later Monday, Rosselló touted Gillum’s support for Puerto Rico’s statehood.

As governor, Gillum pledged to veto any budget that would raid the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which is generated from taxes imposed on real estate titles to fund low-income housing projects, in order to help with the housing shortage exacerbated by the influx of Puerto Ricans after Hurricane Maria.

“It is a desperate need for the people all across the state of Florida, but particularly we’ve seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria,” Gillum said.

Rosselló previously endorsed Gwen Graham in the Democratic primary over Gillum. But on Monday, he defended his position, saying he now appreciates that Gillum was the underdog.

“I regretted sort of underestimating [Gillum],” Rosselló said Monday. “But now I see the great value that he has.”

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló has endorsed Bill Nelson for re-election — sparking outrage from some local Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló has endorsed Bill Nelson for re-election — sparking outrage from some local Puerto Ricans.

Rosselló’s endorsement of Nelson riled some Scott-supporting Puerto Ricans. About a dozen protesters gathered outside Nelson’s regional campaign office chanting “go back to Puerto Rico” and calling the island governor a “traitor.”

“Ricardo Rosselló said, in his own words, when he came back in February... that he would support those candidates that were for Puerto Rico,” said state Rep. Bob Cortes, R-Altamonte Springs. “It shows that he’ll say one thing and do the other.”

Cortes, who is leading Puerto Rican outreach for Gillum’s Republican opponent, Ron DeSantis, said he was “disappointed” in the governor and had asked him to reconsider his endorsement.

“I actually hoped that he would stay out of it,” Cortes said.

slemongello@orlandosentinel.com, 407-418-5920, @stevelemongello.

bpadro@orlandosentinel.com or follow me on Twitter @BiancaJoanie.

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