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Sablan considers himself an ‘underdog’ in this election
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Posted on Aug 03 2018
Incumbent Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) considers himself an underdog as he is running against a popular political party this time.
Sablan had been in the past either running unopposed or winning by landslides. But this Nov. 6 election, he is facing a younger candidate, Rep. Angel Demapan, from the ruling NMI Republican Party.
“They have money. That one I was told in the last election…that this election will be about money. And I don’t have that kind of money,” he said after filing his candidacy papers yesterday at the Commonwealth Election Commission in Susupe.
As the underdog, Sablan said he needs to do what he has always done: knock on doors and visit people in their homes.
He said his visit is not so for because of the votes, but because he could hear the people’s concerns, what’s in their mind, what are the things that he needs to do.
“I cannot do my job representing the people here if they don’t tell me what I need to do,” Sablan said.
The 63-year-old Sablan said he is going 10 years of his term, but that there are still things that he would like to do, such as the Health Equity and Accountability Act, a joint project of members of the Congressional Tri-Caucus, which would make the Medicaid program in the Northern Marianas a full Medicaid program.
He also cited working on the higher education bill that includes language that would provide federal tuition aid to graduates of the Northern Marianas College.
Sablan also mentioned his legislation that he introduced in U.S. Congress that seeks to provide a CNMI-only immigration status to long-term foreign workers—called legacy workers.
Sablan said the number of CNMI-Only Transitional Worker permits will decrease every year by 500 and so it is very important that legacy workers be given this long-term status.
“Because if they are able to stay here it is my hope and my prayer that their children who are some of our best and brightest will also make this home and that they would be here continue contributing to our community and economy,” he added.
