BB team will seek reelection in ‘05 polls

Gov. Juan N. Babauta has publicly declared that he would seek reelection in next year’s gubernatorial race in front of a crowd of Republican partymates and supporters during his birthday bash at the Hyatt Regency Saipan Tuesday night.

Babauta, who turned 51, wants another four-year term together with Lt. Gov. Diego Benavente as his running mate.

“I want to thank the Republican Party for using the occasion of my birthday to do a fundraising and support for the party,” the governor said.

Babauta said he was personally touched by the presence of the huge crowd that graced the occasion. He estimated the crowd at 500.

In a telephone interview, Babauta made special mention of Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela as one of those who attended the occasion, noting that the mayor belongs to the Republican Party’s rival political party, the Covenant. “I was very pleased that he [Tudela] showed up,” Babauta said.

Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Juan L. Babauta, who attended the birthday bash, expressed strong support to the reelection bid by the governor and Benavente.

“Absolutely! Definitely yes! We’re in for another four years,” the DCCA secretary said. He said he would support Benavente should he run for governor in 2009.

Benavente refused to comment on the publicly announced reelection bid until the Republican Party issues a formal announcement on the issue. The party’s official candidates in next year’s polls have yet to be selected based on internal procedures.

Babauta’s announcement of his reelection bid came quick after the U.S. Republican Party recognized its CNMI counterpart in a recent meeting of the party’s national rules committee in New York.

Local Republicans expect to gain an advantage in next year’s Commonwealth elections, since the party could tap support from the national group and its members.

The recognition allows the local Republican Party to field three voting delegates to the party’s 2008 national convention that would determine who the next presidential standard bearer would be.

The governor’s press secretary, Pete Callaghan, said the local GOP got the national party’s nod for accreditation, garnering a “clear majority” votes among the members. According to Callaghan, each state had two representatives in the New York meeting. He said the national party also recognized local counterparts in Guam and American Samoa.

Callaghan said local GOP president John Reyes and Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio lobbied for the party recognition.

With the national party recognition, Callaghan also said the governor would have expanded clout in garnering congressional and federal support on policies relevant to the CNMI.