PRECINCT 3 Rep. Ivan A. Blanco will seek one of Saipan’s two open Senate seats in the 2022 general elections.
He has consulted with his family and officially submitted his intent to run to the NMI Republican Party.
The current House minority leader, Blanco is serving his third term as representative. Before he entered politics in 2016, he was deputy secretary for the Department of Commerce and was special assistant for protocol and communications in the administration of Gov. Eloy S. Inos.
Blanco also worked as auditor of the Federated States of Micronesia’s National Public Auditor’s Office.
“The honor I have been given to represent the people and community of Precinct 3 has been truly transformative,” Blanco said. “Throughout my terms in the House of Representatives, the third precinct, and our Commonwealth, have experienced historic growth, catastrophic natural disasters, and a global pandemic that has significantly reshaped our community. In these times, I have been given the opportunity to see the importance of leadership in government, and I have seen leadership in the men and women of our community who have personally answered the call for service in fostering a stronger and more resilient Commonwealth.”
Blanco said, “Serving the people of Precinct 3, which comprises the heart of our economy and is filled with the diversity that makes our islands beautiful, has given me the chance to interact and work alongside individuals across Saipan, of all backgrounds and experiences. I have learned much from them, and it is the spirit of service that pervades the entire Saipan community, that has led me to seek a seat to serve all of you in the CNMI Senate.”
Blanco said he was humbled by the task of serving the community, “and more so humbled by the support I have been given for this new journey in my career of public service that has been shown from the many friends, family, and supporters throughout the island.”
He said he is running for senator so he can serve each and every village in all the precincts of the island.
His goal, he added, is to “speak for the people in the villages, their goals for themselves, and the vision they have for a more prosperous Saipan.”
He also said, “I feel that my capabilities and experience, both in elected office and throughout my career of service, can be employed in pushing forward toward an exciting new chapter in our island’s history.”
Blanco is “humbly and respectfully [asking] for your vote and support on this journey toward the 2022 general elections. Our island is filled with so many who are honest, kind, compassionate, and interested in working together across races, nationalities, creeds, and ideologies. This is at the core of who we are, and I promise to represent the best of our island in this position of service with your blessings.”
His platform for action in the Senate includes:
• Unlocking the entrepreneurial spirit of the Saipan community by alleviating the bureaucratic hurdles toward business development and success.
• Strengthening government programs to support self-sufficiency and community resilience.
• Safeguarding opportunities for CNMI workers to gain fulfilling and meaningful employment in our economy.
• Streamlining the use and deployment of federal resources for projects and programs across Saipan.
• Building upon the leadership on Saipan to foster the island as the shining example of effective government for our region.
• Being a steward of the public trust and holding the institution to standards of accountability that are demanded by the public.
• A commitment to be kind and welcoming to the diverse thoughts, opinions, and beliefs of our people across political alignments and ideologies.
Precinct 3 Rep. Ivan Blanco poses with children during a recent community event.
Contributed photos
