Ferrer won a spot on the PPD ballot at the primaries earlier in 2012. He arrived in seventh place in the voting, and wouldn't have been elected. However, a scandal involving his own brother forced second place candidate Carmen Yulín Cruz to relinquish her ballot spot for Representative to run for Mayor of San Juan, allowing Eduardo to move into sixth place.[2][3] Due to his brother's resignation from the House, Ferrer was sworn in on May 24, 2012 to fill his spot.[4]