GOP elects two for national committee

The local Republican Party has elected Mary Lou Ada and Felipe Atalig to become its official representatives in the Republican National Committee.

Ada currently works as the executive director of the Commonwealth Development Authority while Atalig serves as public information officer for the Department of Public Works.

The election was held Thursday night at the Garapan Central Park.

Republican Rep. Ramon Tebuteb said the meeting was attended by over 100 people.

He said no other topics were discussed during the meeting as it was held mainly to elect the two committee representatives.

Meantime, former GOP chair Joseph Reyes expressed satisfaction with the election, which, he said, is the fruit of “the long hard work” of some people for the recognition of the local party by the national GOP.

Reyes, who left his party position last year, credited David Sablan, former chair of the Guam GOP, and Washington D.C.-based Fred Radewagon for their valuable work for the local GOP.

“These are the people who got the door opened to me to lobby for the national recognition of the party. Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio also helped greatly,” he said.

Reyes, who has served as party officer for about eight years, said he began to push for the admission of the local GOP to the national committee in 2000.

He said he brought up the issue in two separate RNC meetings held in Boston and Florida.

Under the rules, the local party has to elect two—one male and one female—to act as representatives in the national committee.

“As participating member of RNC, the Northern Marianas is now a full-fledged member and should comply with the rules of the National Party,” said GOP chair Juan Reyes.

The elected committeeman and woman would act as members of the board of directors of the National Party, who meet twice a year “to give direction to the party.”

As committee members, they will have a chance to participate and vote on RNC budgets and policy resolution.

RNC members meet once every four years to agree and nominate candidates for GOP president and vice president.

Currently, the local GOP’s central committee is composed of Reyes, Sue Mafnas as first vice-chair, Juan I. Tenorio as second vice-chair, Lee Delos Santos as treasurer, and Mario Taitano as secretary.

The Republican Party of Northern Mariana Islands Association became the first political group in the CNMI to be recognized by its national counterpart.