Jorge Santini

Santini entered the race for Mayor of San Juan in 1999 and challenged Senate President Charlie Rodriguez in a PNP primary. Rodríguez had been the choice of the party leadership, but Santini prevailed in the primary. He went on to defeat Popular Democratic Party candidate Eduardo Bhatia in the 2000 elections and sought reelection in 2004 defeating Bhatia for a second time. In his 6th year as Mayor of San Juan, Santini began inaugurating major projects such as the San Juan Natatorium (valued in $28 million), the San Juan Golf Academy, a sports-oriented magnet school and a bilingual municipal magnet school. He also created San Juan's Ronald Reagan Autism-Specialized Day Care Center In 2007, Santini was elected for a third term as Mayor of San Juan but was defeated in the 2012 San Juan mayoral election and left office on January 14, 2013.

In 2007, he participated in the Summit of the Latin American Council in Honor of educational excellence. There the prize for educational excellence, a master's degree in educational management in Latin America and an honorary doctorate was awarded for commitment to education given by 16 universities, all in recognition of his visionary work establishing the first Municipal school system of Puerto Rico.

In 1975, Santini became a member of the United States Marines Air Cadets Corps. At present, he is Lieutenant Colonel in the Puerto Rico State Guard, assigned to the Judge Advocate General's Corps. On September 18, 2002, President George W. Bush appointed Mayor Santini to serve on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council. As a member of the State Guard, Santini has never served in the military.

In 1996, Santini decided to start a political career under the New Progressive Party (PNP). He was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico at the 1996 general elections representing the District of San Juan. During that term, he served as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

He began his public service in 1993, during Pedro Rossello's gubernatorial term, Santini was appointed as his aide in the areas of Health, Social Welfare, and Hiring, as well as serving as the Governor's Legal Aide.

Santini married Irma Garriga on August 23, 1986. They have three children together: Odette (b. 1987), Jorge Andrés (b. 1996), and Amanda (b. 2003)

In 1982 he obtained his bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus. In 1988 he was accepted as a member of the Puerto Rico Bar Association, American Bar Association, and Federal Bar Association. He also presided the Attorney Association of the Faculty of Law at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law. Santini became a partner at the law firm of Miranda Cárdenas & Córdova where he specialized in medical malpractice suits.

Jorge Santini Padilla (born March 11, 1960) is a Puerto Rican politician who previously served as the mayor of San Juan.