From left, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, Rep. Angelo A. Camacho, Rep. Malcolm Omar, Rep. Ralph N. Yumul, Saipan senatorial candidate Manny Gregory T. Castro, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Rep. Marissa Flores, Lt. Gov. David M. Sablan, U.S. Congress candidate Edwin Propst, Precinct 2 House candidate Diego M. Sablan, Reps. John Paul Sablan, Diego Vincent Camacho, Vincent S. Aldan and Blas Jonathan Attao.
U.S. Congress candidate Rep. Edwin Propst, second right, with his son, Logan, daughter Kiana, son Devin, wife Daisy and U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, center.
INDEPENDENT and Democratic candidates gathered at the Commonwealth Election Commission on Tuesday to file their candidacies in this year’s midterm election.
Joining them were Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Saipan Mayor Ramon Blas “RB” Camacho, family members, friends and other supporters.
The “InDem” slate includes House Floor Leader Edwin Propst, who is running for the U.S. Congress, and his fellow Democrat, Precinct 2 Rep. Manny Gregory Tenorio Castro, who is vying for a Saipan Senate seat.
Saipan senatorial candidate Manny Castro, center, with family, Democrats, independents and other supporters.
Seeking reelection are independent Reps. Roman Benavente and Vincent S. Aldan, who are running with Democratic Rep. Diego Vincent F. Camacho in Precinct 1.
Independent Reps. Blas Jonathan Attao, Ralph N. Yumul and Marissa Flores, and Democratic Reps. Denita Yangetmai and Vicente Castro are seeking reelection in Precinct 3.
Independent Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, who filed his reelection bid on Monday, joined the InDems on Tuesday to show his support.
Precinct 2 independent Rep. John Paul Sablan, who is seeking reelection, is running with Diego M. Sablan, special assistant for Substance Abuse Addiction and Rehabilitation Program.
Vice Speaker Joel Camacho and Rep. Malcolm Omar are running again in Precinct 4 and Rep. Angelo A. Camacho is the coalition’s lone candidate in Precinct 5. All three are independent candidates.
Governor Palacios, who won in 2022 as an independent, said the InDem coalition is intact, and is “much stronger” this year.
“As you see, the lt. governor and I, as well as Congressman Kilili are supporting these candidates. … We are the coalition. We are still together as we move forward to Election Day, and we are doing everything we can to win, and we are going to come up with a good result,” the governor said, adding that all their families and friends were there “to give encouragement to our candidates.”
Kilili, for his part said, “I think everyone here that I can vote for, I’ll vote for. My candidates are here.” But he said he also believes there are Republicans who are good candidates.
Mayor Camacho said it’s a coalition and the bottom line is, “we are stronger if we are working together.”
“We need to work together because we have a lot of pressing issues here. A difference in opinion does not mean you dislike the person. I was with the coalition when I ran for public office so I’m still with them,” he said.
Saipan Chamber of Commerce President Joe Guerrero also came to show his support. He said he was there in his personal capacity to join his family, which supports Propst’s candidacy. “He has been a long-time family friend even before he started his political career. So I want to do what the families usually do here on island, supporting each other,” he added.
The InDem candidates and their supporters.
