Presidential hopeful Ben Carson has expressed his desire to see Puerto Rico become the 51st state.

As reported by NBC News the Republican candidate said, "When you stop and think about it Puerto Ricans have been Americans for a century or more already."

Speaking at a rally in support of Ricky Rosselló, a politician in Puerto Rico's New Progressive pro-statehood party, Carson was clear that he felt the U.S. territory deserved to enjoy the benefits of statehood. "You've already paid your dues," said Carson, adding, "There have probably been more patriotic Puerto Ricans than any other state. Look at all the contributions that have been made to America."

Puerto Rico is currently saddled with a $72 billion debt that the current governor of Puerto Rico, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, has said is not payable. As reported in The New York Times, Garcia Padilla said, “This is not politics, this is math.”

"We need unity,” said Carson, “We need to be working together and not against each other."

Although Puerto Rican citizens are not able to vote in the general election, they are allowed to participate in primary elections. Subsequently, presidential candidates have been paying attention to the needs of the commonwealth.

In speaking up for Puerto Rico’s chance at statehood, Carson joins other Republican candidates such as Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush.

According to The Guardian, Bush remarked back in April that he thought Puerto Rican citizens should have the right to determine whether or not they wanted to be a state. “I think statehood is the best path, personally,” said the former Florida governor said.

“To get the full benefits and responsibilities of citizenship, being a state is the only way to make that happen,” added Bush.