NMI Democratic Party president Jesse J. Torres said although local Democrats have yet to gain official affiliation with the Democratic National Committee, Borja will be their candidate as soon as his nomination is ratified next week.
Incumbent Congressman Gregorio C. Sablan is an Independent who has aligned himself with the Democrats in the U.S. Congress.
But Torres said Borja will be the Democratic candidate as far as the local party is concerned.
Flanked by other NMI Democratic Party officials, Torres accepted Borja’s letter of intent at their San Jose headquarters on Beach Road.
Borja’s submission of his letter of intent brought out long-time party members and drew new individuals who want to be Democrats.
One of them is the CNMI’s 2008 Teacher of Year, Andrew Golden, of Saipan Southern High School.
Golden said he has considered himself as a Democrat since he voted for the first time in the states, when Bill Clinton ran for president.
He said he believes in the Democrats ideals so he wants to affiliate with the local Democrats.
Torres said Borja, who is also a former Supreme Court justice, is a respected man in the CNMI and is the best candidate in this year’s delegate election.
Borja unsuccessfully ran for governor as an Independent candidate in 1997 and as a Democrat in 2001.
