Coleman backs NMI GOP’s bid to join RNC

As a Republican National Committee Rules Committee member, it was Aumua Amata Coleman of American Samoa who proposed amendments that would provide membership on the RNC for the Northern Marianas—the only state or U.S. territory that is not represented in either body.

“Although I was warned that I did not have the votes to pull it off for the CNMI, I did my homework and proceeded to make my case for the Northern Marianas and we won in an upset victory,” Amata said. “I was delighted to present [the] CNMI’s case and, although I have not left home for weeks, this critical issue could only be decided by the national convention and CNMI has wanted to become an official member for a long time.”

Back in 1978 the CNMI joined the American political family as a territory with a commonwealth system of local government—constitutionally the same as Puerto Rico. At the same time the CNMI formed a GOP party and Republicans have won five of the seven elections for governor since then and the last four Washington Representative elections as well.

The first GOP governor of the Northern Marianas became a member of the Republican Governors Association and every GOP governor since then, including the current governor, Juan N. Babauta, who has been an RGA member.

In a floor fight with a senior Rules Committee member who vehemently opposed the inclusion of CNMI “because of their small population and lack of delegate to Congress,” Amata shot back, “Mr. Chairman, the second paragraph of the Preamble to our Rules says that the intent of the rules is to encourage and allow the broadest possible participation of all voters in GOP activities at all levels and to assure that the GOP is open and accessible to all Americans,” drawing applause from the Rules committee membership.

In support of Amata’s amendment, a senior member from Montana indicated that, “Just to put things into perspective, if there’s a question about CNMI’s ‘American-ness,’ these are the islands from which the Enola Gay took off on its flight to launch the weapon of mass destruction on the Japanese empire, which ended World War II. So that’s who we’re talking about.”

To the member who opposed Amata’s amendments, Amata responded: “Mr. Chairman, American Samoa has an even smaller population than CNMI and we have been a proud member of the RNC for almost 20 years. Population size should not be an issue. Moreover, these people are genuine United States citizens. As to their having no congressional representative, I personally believe they will have one soon, but that is not what this debate is about. This is about American citizens who are reaching out to us to become Republicans and we should include them because we have a big tent. There’s plenty of room for everyone and we should be proud that they want to join us.”

Amata stressed that Republicans in the CNMI are the only Americans under the flag who are not members of the national GOP.

Amata said her amendment is consistent with a plank recently adopted by the Platform Committee that says, “We welcome greater participation in all aspects of the political process by Americans residing in Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Marianas and Puerto Rico.”

“I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the Northern Marianas because my dad was its chief administrator and governed the Northern Marianas for years. I am seeking merely to make our rules consistent with the Preamble and with our Platform. Therefore I ask that this Rules Committee adopt and recommend to the full Convention Rules Committee a change in our rules to include the CNMI,” she argued.

In a victory for Amata and the CNMI, the Rules Committee voted 109 yes and 3 no to accept the CNMI’s GOP on the RNC.

During the convention, U.S. House Speaker Denny Hastert, who served as permanent chairman of the convention, called for a vote and the full Convention adopted the Rules Committee’s recommendation to make the Northern Marianas an official member of the Republican National Committee.

“This is a sweet victory for the Northern Marianas, one we did not expect, based on the advice of some, but we did our homework, went to bat, got the job done and I, for one, am proud to have made it happen. After all, you can’t win if you don’t try,” Amata said.

Amata praised the presence of Juan Reyes, who attended several vital meetings in order to seal up membership for the CNMI. She also recognized Pete A. Tenorio for his attendance at the Republican National Convention as a guest delegate.

“It was most certainly helpful that these gentlemen were there to support and fight for membership into the RNC.”