An appeal for support

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the central committee of the Democratic Party for their endorsement of my candidacy for the non-voting delegate seat this upcoming November election. It is an honor to be able to run for this very important position and to be able to represent our people of the CNMI in the halls of Congress. The Democratic Party, along with all my supporters from Tinian, Rota, Saipan, and the Northern Marianas Islands, join me in inviting everyone to participate in this very historic election in November.

I was often asked why I am running under the Democratic banner. My response to this question is that I am a Democrat and that is my political ideology. I grew up with my parents in the popular party of the CNMI, which later became the CNMI Democratic Party. I also often asked my parents then why we were in the popular party. Their response then was that we were farmers and fishermen and most of the time poor and we fit right into this party. Back then, this party stood for the poor and the working class and it also stood up for the rights of all those whose voices cannot be heard by the ruling party. It is through this upbringing and education from both of my parents that got me interested in government. I sometimes recall my early childhood years when I would often listen to our half-broken transistor radio at the farm and listen to then President John F. Kennedy deliver his famous speech “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” This is the speech, along with my parent’s beliefs, that really inspired me to join politics, which ultimately became my lifelong career.

I do understand that the CNMI Democratic Party today need a lot if reorganizing and has a lot of work to do in the days ahead and this just gives me more energy to do just that so we can again bring back the confidence of our people toward their government and their elected officials.

My 12 years in the Senate of being fair to all islands and my record in voting decisively on issues important to everyone in our Commonwealth regardless whether it is unpopular among my colleague politicians may be a plus in this Commonwealth-wide election. I ask all people of our Commonwealth for their support and I sincerely hope that being from the beautiful island of Tinian would not be seen as a negative to my candidacy.

Lastly, again I ask for your support in November and from time to time until Election Day, I will be appearing before you to discuss issues that affect all of us here in the Commonwealth.