Rep. Blas Jonathan Tenorio Attao and Speaker Edmund Sablan Villagomez shake hands during a gathering at Garapan Central Park on Saturday.
FAMILIES, friends and supporters of Rep. Blas Jonathan Tenorio Attao and Speaker Edmund Sablan Villagomez gathered at Garapan Central Park on Saturday to give their blessing for the pair’s gubernatorial bid in the November 2026 election.
Also present were friends and supporters who gave Attao and Villagomez a big round of applause when they announced their candidacies as an independent gubernatorial tandem.
In addition to Attao’s relatives from his father’s side, members of his mother’s family — the Tenorio and Sablan clans — as well as both sides of his wife Zenie Mafnas’ family, were in attendance. The Villagomez clans and other relatives from the speaker’s father’s side, along with the Sablans from his mother’s side, were also present.
After formally introducing Villagomez as his running mate, Attao shared that the “idea of running” for the executive branch was first brought up within his family back in February. He said he was very happy to have received the blessing of his entire family and expressed gratitude for their support of “the person I chose to join me in this journey,” referring to Villagomez.
During a separate family gathering on June 22, 2025, Villagomez also received the blessing of his own family.
For his part, Villagomez said he had promised Attao that once he secured his family’s support, he would “yield” to him. He recalled that he and Attao had worked together even before they were elected to the House of Representatives.
Attao previously served as a legislative assistant in the Legislative Bureau before being elected as an independent candidate in the 2014 general election. Villagomez was director of the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Division before being elected in 2009 on the Covenant Party slate.
Villagomez noted that Attao was his “go-to” person in the Legislature whenever he needed to access legislation that impacted the Department of Commerce.
He thanked his family for their support and blessing.
The highlight of Saturday’s event was Attao and Villagomez, surrounded by their families, rolling down the AV 2026 banner they plan to use in their campaign.
Also present at the gathering were some of their colleagues, including Rep. Joel Camacho, Rep. Angelo Camacho, Rep. Ralph Yumul, Rep. Vincent “Kobre” Aldan, Rep. John Paul Sablan, and House Floor Leader Marissa Flores. They were joined by former Sen. John “Morgen” Tenorio, former Rep. Anthony Tenorio Benavente, as well as former Lt. Gov. Diego Tenorio Benavente.
Rep. Joel Camacho described the candidacies of Attao and Villagomez as the beginning of a “new era.”
“I’m proud to stand by two amazing men who have led and continue to lead with much integrity,” he said.
In an interview after the gathering, Camacho said he had the privilege of serving with Attao and Villagomez for four terms and had “the fortune to have been friends with them way before I got into office.”
Camacho added that Attao and Villagomez complement each other in their leadership styles.
“They both lead with a calm, steadfast resolve, even in the midst of intense public pressure. I have learned much from their servant-style leadership. But aside from their noteworthy and longstanding history as representatives from Precinct 3, they have always inspired me because of their down-to-earth personalities, humble qualities, and their strong family ties,” Camacho said.
“They are an inspiration to myself and many others, and I truly believe they will help lead the Commonwealth with great distinction and toward a better future for our people,” he added.
The incumbent governor, Arnold I. Palacios, who won as an independent candidate in 2022, earlier said that he would seek re-election as a Republican.
Rep. Blas Jonathan Tenorio Attao and Speaker Edmund Sablan Villagomez pose for a photo with their families at Garapan Central Park on Saturday.
