By Emmanuel T. Erediano
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Variety News Staff
FORMER Sen. Vinnie F. Sablan has withdrawn his candidacy for governor and is instead running for Saipan senator in this year’s general election.
His decision was announced during the NMI Republican Party membership general meeting at the residence of party president Patrick Cepeda on Saturday.
Sablan’s withdrawal leaves former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres as the Republican Party’s sole candidate for governor in November, meaning the primary election initially scheduled for April 11, 2026, will no longer take place.
According to one GOP member who attended the meeting, Sablan sent a letter to the party board expressing his intent to run for Saipan senator. The board declined to release a copy of the letter to respect Sablan’s request.
Sablan, who served as a member of the House Representatives in the 19th and 20th Legislatures and as a senator in the 21st and 22nd Legislatures, was Torres’ running mate in the three-way 2022 gubernatorial election. They lost to then-Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and then-Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang in the runoff.
Aside from Sablan, former Rep. Marco Peter is the other Republican candidate for Saipan senator.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
