By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

THE Republican Party’s Precinct 2 club is having a hard time completing its House slate, according to interim club chairman Dino Palacios.
Precinct 2, a former Republican bailiwick, is now the stronghold of the ruling Covenant Party, which holds its two House seats.
Palacios, in a telephone interview yesterday, said they only have one candidate —Raymond D. Palacios.
Eric B. Atalig, who earlier said he will run, changed his mind. Atalig was the party’s unsuccessful Precinct 2 House candidate in 2005.
Dino Palacios said they are still looking for Atalig’s replacement.
Party secretary Kimo M. Rosario said they haven’t heard from Precinct 2 since the GOP started the nominating process for House candidates.
He said the Precinct 1 club has already completed the selection of its six candidates for the House of Representatives.
Seven individuals, including three incumbents, have submitted their letters of intent, but Rosario declined to identify who the six are who made it to the GOP slate.
Precinct 3, which also has six House seats, received six letters of intent including those from the three incumbents.
Rosario said one of the four aspirants for Precinct 4’s two House seats has already backed out.
The four individuals were incumbent Rep. Candido B. Taman, Joe Norita Camacho, Barbara Yamada and Sylvestre Iguel.
Rosario said he does not know who among them decided to pull out of the race.
Aside from Rep. Stanley T. Torres and former Rep. Benjamin A. Sablan, no one else has submitted a letter of intent to run for Saipan’s open Senate seat currently occupied by Democrat Luis P. Crisostimo, who is seeking re-election as an Independent candidate after his party refused to nominate him again.
Rosario said the names on the GOP slate will not be announced until the party’s board of directors endorses it.
“Basically, the precinct clubs select while the board of directors endorses. The general membership in each of the precincts is encouraged to refer inquiries to the precinct clubs’ respective chairmen, vice-chairmen or secretaries-treasurers,” Rosario said.
Former Rep. Ana S. Teregeyo chairs the Precinct 1 club; Dino Palacios, Precinct 2; Skep Palacios, Precinct 3; and former Rep. Benigno M. Sablan, Precinct 4.