Acosta has served as acting governor. He submitted his resignation as secretary of state on October 25, 2015, effective October 30, 2015. His Deputy Secretary, Javier González, will become acting secretary until a new secretary of state is appointed and qualified. As secretary of state, he continued and expanded several digitalization projects begun by his predecessor, created the Arturo Morales-Carrión International Relations Internship Program and coordinated the Campus Puerto Rico project to promote the Commonwealth as a destination for college students from the rest of the United States and Latin America. He is a member of the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Lieutenant Governors Association, two organizations that held conventions in Puerto Rico during his predecessor Kenneth McClintock's incumbency. Gubernatorial campaign On December 16, 2015, Bernier announced he would run for governor under the PPD during the 2016 general elections. His announcement came two days after incumbent governor Alejandro García Padilla announced he would not seek re-election. It was the first time Bernier ran for an elective office in politics. If he was elected governor, he would have been the second-youngest in Puerto Rico's history. On November 8, 2016, Bernier lost the 2016 Governor's race, losing to main rival Ricky Rosselló of the New Progressive Party (PNP) Endorsements Tego Calderón Puerto Rican rapper, songwriter and actor Ramón "Papo" Brenes journalist Alexandra Fuentes Puerto Rican actress, model, TV/radio host and candidate's wife Jaime Espinal freestyle wrestler and Olympic silver medalist Chicky Starr retired Puerto Rican professional wrestler Karla Monroig actress, model, TV/radio host Personal life Bernier married actress and host Alexandra Fuentes in 2007. They have two children together: a son, Adrián David, and a daughter, Miranda. Bernier has stated that reading the work of Gabriel García Márquez influenced his personal ideology by helping him understand the "Puerto Rican reality with the Latin American context". Under his leadership, the Department of State held an homage to the author on April 23, 2014. See also List of Puerto Ricans Notes References External links Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico |- |- 1977 births American dentists Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medalists for Puerto Rico Competitors at the 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games Democratic Party (Puerto Rico) politicians Fencers at the 2003 Pan American Games Living people Members of the 16th Cabinet of Puerto Rico Pan American Games bronze medalists for Puerto Rico Pan American Games medalists