Tudela tramples Camacho

Former congressman Juan Borja Tudela trampled Rep. Antonio Muna Camacho in the race for Democrats’ endorsement ahead of the Saipan mayoralty election next year in an open primary that drew less than a quarter of the registered voters on the island.

The 64-year old political veteran got 68 percent of the votes cast last Saturday and won in all the 10 polling precincts, including Mr. Camacho’s bailiwick in San Vicente. Mr. Tudela received 1,953 votes, while his opponent, who is his nephew, got 923.

“I am very happy especially for those who have been following me during the one-month campaign,” he said of his victory as he thanked his family and supporters.

“I have really known it since the very beginning that I can be the top contender for this race,” Mr. Tudela told in an interview after votes were counted.

He offered his hands to Mr. Camacho to help him in the 2001 polls where he will face Republican bet Henry I. Sablan and other potential opponents, including Commonwealth Utilities Corp. Board Chair Jesus T. Guerrero who reportedly backed out of the Democrats’ primary to run as independent.

“I am asking him now, if he wants the party united, to come out and support me because we are from the same family,” said Mr. Tudela.

Campaign platform

During the next few months, he said he will campaign to draw wider support on a platform of community services and programs as well as education, health and island beautification.

The long-delayed streetnaming project on Saipan will also be a priority, added Mr. Tudela. “I’m confident [of winning as mayor] since I have got the support from this primary and that means it’s all the way to 2001,” he explained.

On criticisms that he will be 67 by the time that he assumes office, he maintained this is the stage where people tend to trust government officials more as he noted that many old people in the United States are being elected into office.

“The age doesn’t matter as long as you can do the job and you have dedication,” he said. “That’s all the people want. They really don’t care about my age because they know I’m strong and healthy and I can do everything.”

This is the second time Mr. Tudela will be seeking the Saipan post following his defeat to incumbent Mayor Jose C. Sablan in the 1997 election.

He ran as independent at that time, but got the second highest number of votes cast. He attributed his loss then to the absence of party machinery to back his campaign.

Bad weather

Meanwhile, Democratic chair, former Gov. Carlos S. Camacho, blamed the low voters’ turnout to the inclement weather last Saturday as well as other occasions held on that day that distracted attention of the residents.

But he credited the two camps for keeping a low-key campaign with almost an absence of political mudslinging which he said is necessary to ensure the party’s unity.

The open primary, the first ever conducted by the Democrats, ran smoothly and attracted participation of few members from other political parties like GOP, according to Mr. Camacho.

“It was very peaceful as we expected ever since for a family affair,” he explained. “But it was not the best day for voting. It had been raining in and out and of course, there may be other occasions that distracted the people [from trooping to the polls].”

Mr. Camacho expressed optimism it would not harm efforts by the party to keep their unity. “I’m hopeful this will be kept right through until next year’s election because if we were to be successful, we have to have unified party,” he said.

The exercise came less than a month after the Nov. 4 open primary conducted by the Republican for next year’s gubernatorial election, which drew more than 90 percent of registered voters on Saipan.