Apatang likely running mate if…

If Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios decides to run for governor in the 2022 gubernatorial election, Saipan Mayor David Apatang would most likely be his running mate.

Palacios himself confirmed this in an interview at his residence in Gualo Rai, but he still remained coy about his political plans. As of yesterday, Palacios said he was not committed to running as governor in the November 2022 elections, adding that he will announce his decision on the matter “sooner than later.”

When asked to talk about his health, he assured that he is healthy, and earlier had sciatic pain that he said has been fixed.

He described the sciatic pain as “almost like a pinched nerve” and that it was very painful but was an easily fixable issue. “At the end of the day, we got it fixed,” he added.

Palacios said he immediately started working when he got back on island early this year. “I feel really good, really reinvigorated. I had my issue addressed. It was very successful,” said the lieutenant governor, referring to his spinal surgery.

Palacios said his health should have never been enough to rationalize or justify why he is “not in the picture.”

Palacios said he and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres made a commitment when they were still campaigning that they’re going to fix things even if it is painful. “That didn’t go over well with a lot of people, particularly department heads who are used to being given almost a free rein,” he said.

In retrospect, Palacios said, he believes he became almost an inconvenience to a lot of folks in the government.

On another subject, the lieutenant governor said CNMI Republican Party president James Ada was recently quoted in a news article as to what will happen if he (Palacios) will run as governor too. Ada had said that their bylaws state that if the incumbent governor runs for re-election, all other party members have to respect the party’s bylaws. That was interpreted to mean that if Palacios were to run for governor, he has to do it either as an independent candidate or move to another party.

Palacios pointed out that Ada’s statement was news to a lot of people because it appears the rule was changed by the GOP board of directors.

He said that in his experience with the Republican Party, whether he was sitting in office or even prior to that being a supporter, whenever the party makes a proposal to change any of the rules or protocols or especially the party’s bylaws, the party first calls for a general membership meeting.

Palacios said the general members of the Republican Party would ratify that change, but this time, he does not remember a general membership meeting held to ratify that particular change in the bylaws.

“When you begin to change the rules with five people running the show, you need to be very transparent, and you need to give it out to the members. Because the members are the strength of the Republican Party throughout its history,” he said.