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Juan Pan confident he will NMI’s next governor
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Posted on Feb 15 2009
Businessman and current Retirement Fund board chairman Juan “Pan” T. Guerrero said he is confident he will be the next governor.
“I’m running as an independent. It’s moving forward smoothly. A lot of people are coming on board. My campaign is going strongly. I’m positive that I will win this election,” Guerrero told Saipan Tribune on Friday.
Guerrero, who is a former lawmaker, said he believes that people in the CNMI are looking for a new face—somebody from the business community rather than those that have been serving in political capacity in the last few years or years back.
With respect to his running mate, he said he has a short list, but that he will announce it very soon.
Guerrero said his running mate should have the same commitment that will compliment him as governor in terms of ideas and platforms.
“We are tying to change the system. We need to ensure we treat people equally, and we will try to improve the quality of life in the Commonwealth,” he said.
He said he wants to see first the other candidates’ line up because coming up with a decision as to his lieutenant governor.
“I think the other candidates are instrumental in my decision. It’s a strategy. I need to make sure that whoever is running, my running mate will be stronger than them,” Guerrero said.
He said he wants to see first what will happen to the internal fighting within the Republican Party.
“It’s nothing new that the Babauta team (former Gov. Juan Babauta) and the Heinz team (Rep. Heinz Hofschneider)… they look at each other. They are not the best of friends,” Guerrero said.
Babauta had already expressed his intention to run for governor in November. There are talks that Hofschneider may also run as governor.
The other individuals who already announced to run as chief executive are Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, former Lt. Gov. Diego Benavente, and former Sen. Ramon “Kumoi” Guerrero.
