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GOP picks Reyes as Saipan mayor bet
The CNMI Republican Party announced last night that its Saipan mayoralty candidate is Joe Agulto Reyes, confirming weeks of speculation that incumbent Saipan Mayor Donald Flores will no longer be running under the GOP. Flores, who ran under the Republican Party in 2009, has been consulting with family and supporters on the matter for weeks now.
Ivan Blanco, chairman of the GOP Central Committee’s public relations team, also said last night that the GOP’s official Precinct 2 candidates are incumbents House floor leader Ralph Demapan and Rep. John Paul Sablan. Both previously ran under the Covenant Party, which merged with the GOP last year.
“Remaining slates will be announced later this week,” Blanco said.
The GOP board members had already unanimously ratified the endorsement of Gov. Eloy S. Inos and Senate President Ralph DLG Torres (R-Saipan) as party candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively.
The Republican Party earlier did not entertain former governor Juan N. Babauta’s request for a primary, citing the party’s endorsement of the Inos-Torres ticket on Sept. 25, 2013.
The GOP will hold a kickoff rally on March 23, Sunday, at the Susupe basketball courts, to officially launch the GOP campaign for the November gubernatorial elections.
Former House speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider, an independent, and former Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Edward “Tofila” M. Deleon Guerrero, a Democrat, also want to seek election as governor.
