GOP aims to strengthen hold of Legislature

The Republican Party of the Northern Mariana Islands Association has introduced its candidates that will be running in this year’s elections in the hopes of strengthening its majority in the Legislature and further push the administration’s policies and agenda.

The GOP has fielded 18 candidates for the House of Representatives with nine seeking reelection, while the rest are either trying to make a comeback or new faces. Seven of the current 20 members of the House are members of the local GOP while four, who are independents, are also aligned with the GOP.

Former House vice speaker Francisco Dela Cruz, Antonio Agulto, and Janet U. Maratita—all previous House members—are hoping to regain their previous seats.

Three are running for the nine-member Senate with Sen. Sixto K. Igisomar (Saipan and Northern Islands) and Francisco Borja (Tinian) seeking reelection. Rota Municipal Council chair George O. Hocog is the other senatorial candidate.

Sens. Steve Mesngon and Teresita Santos (Rota), Francisco Cruz and Jude Hofschneider (Tinian), and Arnold Palacios (Saipan) are the other Republican members of the Senate.

Igisomar is seeking the full four-year term after winning the special election to replace former senator Ray Yumul, who ran for lieutenant governor in 2014 but lost.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres was present when the candidates filed their respective certificates of candidacies and was joined by Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog, the local GOP board of directors James Ada (president), Felicidad Ogumoreo (first vice president), Glenna SP Reyes (secretary), and Rufino Inos (treasurer).

Each precinct chairs, the campaign chairs of the respective candidates, their families, friends, and other supporters also showed up.

Press Secretary Ivan Blanco, who is one of the GOP’s four candidates in Saipan’s Election District III, said Torres and Hocog’s presence is a show of confidence on the qualifications of each individual seeking office.

“Gov. Torres and Lt. Gov. Hocog joined the GOP candidates as they filed their candidacy documents this morning. They participated in the filing today in support of the candidates running under the GOP banner,” said Blanco, who is also the party spokesperson.

Blanco, who will be taking a leave from his duties as press secretary once the Commonwealth Election Commission certifies his candidacy, added the GOP candidates would advocate for the work provided for under the party’s platform.

Vice speaker Joseph Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), Reps. Antonio Sablan (Ind-Saipan), Angel Demapan (R-Saipan), Joseph Lee Pan Guerrero (R-Saipan), and Veterans Affairs director Gregorio Sablan Jr. are joining Maratita in Precinct I, while House Speaker Rafael Demapan (R-Saipan) and Rep. John Paul Sablan (R-Saipan) are the Precinct II candidates.

Donald Barcinas and Joe Itibus are the other two seeking seats in Precinct III together with Blanco and ex-vice speaker Dela Cruz. House Floor Leader George Camacho (R-Saipan) and Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council vice chair Alice Igitol are hoping to clinch the two seats at Saipan’s Election District IV.

Former representative Agulto and Francisco Aguon are aiming to represent Precinct V. Reps. Edwin Aldan and Glenn Maratita are seeking reelection for the lone posts in Tinian (Precinct VI) and Rota (Precinct VII).