SIXTY-ONE individuals officially filed their candidacies for the Nov. 5 midterm election, according to the Commonwealth Election Commission.
Of these candidates, 31 are running as independents, five as Democrats, and eight as Republicans.
Seventeen are running for non-partisan posts, including Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio, who is seeking retention.
Five have filed their candidacies for the U.S. delegate position. They are John Oliver Delos Reyes Bolis Gonzales, independent; Kimberlyn King-Hinds, Republican; James Rayphand, independent; Liana Hofschneider, independent; and House Floor Leader Edwin K. Propst, Democrat.
On Rota, incumbent Sen. Paul Manglona is running against another independent candidate, Ronnie Mendiola Calvo.
On Tinian, Republican Sen. Karl King-Nabors is running unopposed.
On Saipan, Senate President Edith Deleon Guerrero is seeking reelection as an independent candidate and is running against Rep. Manny Castro, Democrat; and Luis Masga Sablan, independent.
The candidates for the House of Representatives in Precinct 1, which has six seats, are Rep. Roman Benavente (independent), Rep. Joseph Flores (independent) Rep. Vincent Aldan (independent), Raymond Palacios (independent), Edwin Quitugua (independent), Carmen Deleon Guerrero (independent), Yvette Sablan (independent) former Rep. Janet Maratita (independent), Rep. Roy Ada (Republican), Benusto Piteg (Republican) and Rep. Diego Camacho (Democrat).
In Precinct 2, which has two seats, Rep. John Paul Sablan and his fellow independent candidate Diego Sablan are running unopposed.
In Precinct 3, which has six seats, Speaker Edmund Villagomez (independent), Reps. Marissa Flores (independent), Jonathan Blas Attao (independent), Ralph Yumul (independent), Denita Yangetmai (Democrat) and Vicente Camacho (Democrat) are seeking reelection.
Independents Del Benson and Elias Rangamar are challenging them.
Precinct 4 Rep. Malcolm Omar and Vice Speaker Joel Camacho, both independents, are seeking reelection. Their opponents are Republican hopefuls Rosa Taman Rios and Antonio Kapileo, as well as Cecilia Taitano, who is running as an independent candidate.
In Precinct 5, which has two seats, there are three candidates: former Rep. Melvin Faisao of the Republican Party and incumbent Reps. Angelo Camacho and Thomas John Dela Cruz Manglona, both independents.
On Tinian, Rep. Patrick San Nicolas of the Republican Party is running unopposed.
On Rota, Rep. Julie Marie Ogo is running against another independent, Eusebio Manglona.
The candidates for the three non-partisan municipal council seats on Rota are Jim Atalig (incumbent), Jonavan Hocog Lizama (incumbent), Sandra Mesngon Masga and Tillie Castro Taimanao.
Running unopposed for Tinian’s three non-partisan municipal council seats are incumbent members Estevan Cabrera, Ana Marie San Nicolas and Joseph Evangelista.
For Saipan’s three non-partisan municipal council seats, incumbent members Carmen Pangelinan, Antonia Tudela and Marian Tudela are also running unopposed.
The lone candidate for Rota’s Board of Education seat is Anthony Wade Barcinas while on Saipan, incumbent members Greg Borja and Maisie Tenorio are running against former Rep. Martin B. Ada, Kodep Ogumoro-Uludong and former Rep. Juan Iguel Tenorio.
