It looks like Rick Santorum’s opinion that only an English-speaking Puerto Rico could guarantee the island statehood didn’t do him much good in the weekend primary—he lost to opponent Mitt Romney.

According to The New York Times, Romney more intelligently endorsed Puerto Rico’s ability to eventually become the 51st state, without and language-based conditions:

He often spoke for only a few minutes, and favored questions from the local media, which focused on Puerto Rico becoming the 51st state, and whether he would, like Rick Santorum, require residents to make English their “primary” language as a requirement for statehood.

“My view is that the people of Puerto Rico should be able to express an opinion on this issue, and if they decide they would like to be a state, I will help in the effort in Washington to secure that conclusion,” he said, as he shopped for fruit in a market here before offering brief remarks to a small crowd gathered in a plaza.

Later, along the rope line after Mr. Romney’s speech, a woman asked him about a language requirement for statehood, and he reiterated an answer he’d already given several times: “You already have in your system, for 100 years: English and Spanish both as official languages. And I will support the effort of the people of Puerto Rico if they wish to become a state, with no precondition.”

Our own primary is coming up in two weeks, and Romney is looking to win over D.C. Republicans. (Santorum isn’t on the ballot.) We’ll make sure to see if the Republican frontrunner is similarly inclined to support even marginal efforts at self-determination and voting rights for the District.