Puerto Rican Renewal Party

Dr. Hernán Padilla's name was the favorite to substitute governor Carlos Romero Barceló at the top of the NPP's ticket in 1984.

The escalating feud between Padilla and Romero Barceló for the NPP nomination can be followed through the newspapers of the time.

Despite the fact that Padilla was widely respected by the voters, in the end he received just over 4.05% of the vote, below the 5% threshold to keep the party registered.

The gubernatorial vote in 1984 was: Rafael Hernández Colón PDP (PPD) 822,709 (47.754%) Carlos Romero Barceló NPP (PNP) 768,959 (44.634%) Hernán Padilla PRP (PRP) 69,807 ( 4.051%) Fernando Martín PIP (PIP) 61,312 ( 3.558%) (Source: State Elections Commission of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Comision Estatal de Elecciones del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico); Estadisticas de las Elecciones de 1984 (Statistics of the 1984 election [in Spanish]) The Puerto Rican Renewal Party attempted to register again for the 1988 election but the effort failed for lack of support, and Padilla returned to the NPP in the Summer of 1988.

After the 1984 election, Padilla moved to Maryland with his family, and served in several hospitals there, reaching high positions in the medical field.