By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

AN incumbent Republican elected official will not be automatically nominated by the party for the midterm elections this year, according to GOP secretary Kimo Rosario.
He said they have so far received seven letters of intent to run from prospective candidates, none of whom are incumbent lawmakers.
The Republican Party holds seven of the 18 open seats in the House of Representatives.
Rosario said in a telephone interview that he has to transmit the aspiring candidates’ letters of intent to the newly elected precinct club officers who will decide who to endorse.
He said among the letters of intent he got, six are for representative and one for senator.
Rosario did not name any of the prospective candidates.
Being an incumbent, he said, does not guarantee endorsement by the party leadership.
He said it is the precinct clubs who will decide the composition of the party’s slate of candidates.
GOP precinct clubs were formed last week and elected their officers.
“Precinct club officers have to be aware that incumbency does not mean they will be endorsed automatically. The precinct clubs will still be the ones to decide,” Rosario said.