U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop again turned against southwest Georgians by voting for HR 2499 to set up potential statehood for Puerto Rico.

What does that have to do with us?

The U.S. House of Representatives is limited to 435 members.

If Puerto Rico becomes a state, it will have six votes. That means that some states must lose votes.

Next year, Georgia will gain one or two seats from the census. We could gain a seat next year only to lose it again later.

Puerto Rico has time and time again voted to retain their current status as a commonwealth. Yet liberal Democrats fearing the loss of their majority are doing everything they can to keep power.

Democrat Nydia Velasquez offered Amendment 7, “To express that it is the sense of Congress that a proposal for a change of status must come first from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico before Congress decides to consider the issue.”

Bishop voted in favor of that amendment but it failed. Less than an hour later he voted to do exactly the opposite. He must have missed Pelosi’s memo the first time.

Ask yourself this simple question. Is it best for Georgia to gain seats or lose seats in the U.S. House?

Bishop proved that he is more concerned with what is best for Nancy Pelosi and liberal Democrats than with what is best for you. We need a congressman. It is time to boot Bishop.

Donald E. ColeCordele, Ga.