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Democrats endorse Cing for delegate polls
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Posted on Jul 21 2008
The Northern Marianas Democratic Party announced yesterday its endorsement of former Sen. David Cing for congressional delegate.
The party canceled the planned primary between Cing and Sen. Luis Crisostimo after the latter failed to follow through on his application for the party’s support, according to Democratic Party chairman Manuel Sablan.
Sablan said Crisostimo took himself off the race for the party’s endorsement by failing to submit the required fee or even contact the party about the primary. “The party will not tolerate such behavior from any prospective candidate seeking the endorsement of the Democratic Party,” he added.
In a separate interview, Crisostimo said he withdrew from the primary because he did not believe the local Democratic Party could register enough members to conduct a fair and credible primary.
He added that he is still running as an independent candidate. But he said his campaign will highlight his membership with the national Democratic Party. “I am registered with the national party, they’re not. I hope that someday, our local Democrats will consider registering with the national party,” he said.
Sablan questioned Crisostimo’s sincerity in registering with the local party on June 23, 2008 and seeking the party’s endorsement. “He was not serious about running under the party. If he was, why were his billboards all over the place? He knew he still had go through the primary,” he said.
This is not the first time the local Democratic Party has rejected Crisostimo’s application to run under the party. In 2007, the party chose Gabriel Babauta over Crisostimo for the senatorial race.
Cing was not available for comments at press time.
In addition to Cing and Crisostimo, five candidates have expressed interest in running independent. Resident Rep. Pete A. Tenorio will represent the NMI Republican Party. Retired judge Juan T. Lizama, Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Gregorio Sablan, television talk show host John Oliver Gonzales, and businessman Patrick M. Calvo are planning to run independent.
To date, only Gonzales and Lizama have formally filed their candidacy with the Election Commission.
