Republicans, independent ally back Vaiagae for Precinct 3

Eight Republican members of the House of Representatives and their independent ally have endorsed the candidacy of Grace “Pitu” Sablan Vaiagae, the Republican candidate for the upcoming Precinct 3 special election to fill the vacancy as a result of the untimely passing of her brother-in-law, the late Republican minority leader Ivan A. Blanco.

Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan “BJ” Attao, floor leader Ralph Yumul, minority leader Angel Demapan, Reps. Roy Ada, Joel Camacho, Joseph Lee Pan Guerrero, John Paul Sablan, and Patrick San Nicolas are the eight Republicans, while Rep. Joseph Flores is an independent aligned with the Republican members and comprise the House minority bloc.

Together, they issued the following joint statement yesterday:

“Undoubtedly, the untimely passing of minority leader Blanco left a tremendous void in our hearts and in our endeavors as a team. And as we continue to cope with his absence, we also recognize that the system of government continues in accordance to the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth. In this case, a special election has been set for Precinct 3.

“As Republicans, together with our Independent ally, we are pleased to wholeheartedly endorse Grace ‘Pitu” Sablan Vaiagae to serve as the sixth Precinct 3 member of the House of Representatives. Grace is a former educator, an advocate for women and children, and a published direct service provider to our most vulnerable members of the community who are impacted by substance abuse, trauma, and behavioral health challenges.

“For nearly a decade, Grace’s professional background has given her direct exposure to our community’s most difficult social challenges. This distinction makes Grace the grassroots candidate who has truly felt the pulse of our community, the candidate that works at the forefront of crisis and, more importantly, the candidate with a proven record of helping our most vulnerable friends and family members recover and take that second chance at living their best lives.

“Our decision to endorse Grace rises above party lines because she stands on a record of accomplishments that embodies the qualifications we should look for in a public servant. She listens to people, counsels people, and transforms people. We are confident that she will bring all these and more to the House of Representatives if blessed with the opportunity to serve.

“We humbly and respectfully ask the great voters of Precinct 3 to cast your votes of confidence for Grace ‘Pitu’ Sablan Vaiagae this coming special election. We stand ready to immediately get to work with Grace on critical legislations and our growing record of community outreach projects throughout our villages.” (PR)