Primaries are an integral part of the Democratic process

The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas has a formal government with a House and Senate that comprises the Legislature. In addition, there is a formal constitution in place which would be considered the supreme law of the CNMI.

The election process in the CNMI involves political parties, e.g., Covenant, Republican, Democrat, and Independent. Each of these respective parties generally goes through a “primary” subsequent to the election, which typically occurs approximately one year later in November.

According to the United Press International, “primaries are key to election day.” Moreover, primaries are held to make a determination as to which candidate for each specific party will have the illustrious right to vie for a political seat, e.g., president, governor, senator, and representative. Although incumbents are usually the candidate selected by parties to represent the party prior to an election, it should never be presumed that their status as an incumbent will automatically make them the chosen contender for the specific party prior to an election. A primary will allow the party to ascertain who should be the best possible candidate.

The right of other prospective candidates to take on an incumbent during a primary is an integral part of the democratic process. And because specific parties are always looking for the most effective and competent candidate, they may promote another individual especially if an incumbent candidate has demonstrated that he or she has not made the best decisions for the electorate and provided leadership lacking in integrity, values, and vision.

WTOP describes primary elections to be the “first step” in the election process. In a primary, the voters registered with each of the major political parties select their party’s representative, or nominee, to the general election.

The recent proclamation of Sen. Pete Reyes, a Republican, to the media asserting that “I feel the Republican Party should have a primary; they should adhere to the democratic system of government and allow others to run for the gubernatorial post,” is completely germane and legitimate simply because to not conduct a “primary” prior to the election next November would be in direct defiance of the philosophy and democratic process which the CNMI presumably follows and respects.

An incumbent governor should never give the impression or insinuate that a primary should not be held prior to a gubernatorial election in the following year. To give the notion that a primary should not take place would be akin to how elections are run under dictatorial or police states. The mentality of not allowing prospective candidates to effectively challenge an incumbent contradicts the entire democratic process and should never be condoned or allowed for a commonwealth that presumably supports and espouses democratic principles, as well as the democratic election process, unequivocally and wholeheartedly.

It appears that Heinz Hofschneider, the House of Representative’s minority leader and former Speaker of the House for the 13th Legislature, has shown a serious interest in providing the leadership for the highest public office in the CNMI. He, as well as any other candidates who aspire to be the CNMI governor, should be allowed to compete in a primary and challenge the sitting incumbent, Gov. Juan N. Babauta.

No force (except perhaps a Category 5 Typhoon) or individual can prevent a primary for Election Day from taking place. It will always be a part of the election process and should always be allowed to occur. If the governor of the CNMI wants to convince his Republican party members, as well as members representing the other parties in the Legislature and the electorate that he is an ardent supporter of the democratic process, then he should vigorously welcome a primary and enthusiastically lend support in allowing it to take place whenever primaries are scheduled to take place in the CNMI. If he does not welcome it, then it would be apparent what his philosophy is regarding the democratic process and should not be dismayed if the gubernatorial results in November 2005 for a second term are not favorable.

Dr. Jesus D. Camacho
Delano, California