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Mesngon eyes Rota mayoralty seat
Sen. Steve K. Mesngon (R-Rota) announced last Friday his intent to run as mayor of Rota as an independent candidate.
Mesngon, who reportedly submitted his intent to run as Rota mayor to the CNMI Republican Party back in November 2017, told Saipan Tribune that he intends to run for the position even if the party does not support his intent.
The senator said he was “disappointed” with his party for not responding to his intent to run for election.
“At this point I am not going to keep waiting for [their response] because my family is waiting on me. Right now, [I am] leaning toward running as an independent,” he said.
“I am a really strong advocate of the Republican Party, but there is no approval yet and no endorsement, so…I made my decision,” he added.
According to Mesngon, the CNMI Republican Party is endorsing the current Rota mayor, Efraim Atalig, for the Rota mayor’s seat, but did not indicate who the party was endorsing for the Rota senator’s seat.
“It’s been my passion to run for Rota mayor,” he said, adding that he ran for Rota mayor in 2009 but lost. In 2014, due to a compromise within the CNMI Republican Party, he ran for senator representing Rota for the 19th Legislature and won.
Mesngon served as chief of staff for the Rota Municipal Council for four years prior to representing Rota in the Senate.
