Rep. Thomas John Manglona, center, with Reps. Roy Ada, right, and Vicente Camacho during a House session on Tuesday.
PRECINCT 5 Rep. Thomas John “TJ” Manglona, who won his seat as a Republican in 2022, will seek a second term as an independent candidate in this year’s midterm election.
“I just want to express my sincere thanks to the Republican Party for giving me the opportunity to run for the first time in the last election,” he said in an interview on Tuesday. “I thank all those people who made the effort in supporting me [and] the party. I’m forever grateful to each and every one of them. I can only hope that I can continue to gain their support moving forward despite the fact I have chosen to run completely independent,” he added.
Manglona is one of the three Republicans in the 20-seat House of Representatives, which also has 13 independent members and four Democrats. Twelve of the independents and the four Democrats are aligned with the independent Palacios-Apatang administration.
Asked why he is running independent this time, Manglona said, “Honestly, out of my respect for everybody that has shown interest in running in Precinct 5, I just thought it was best that I focus on my own campaign and respect everybody else who decides to run in the same precinct.”
Variety learned that former Precinct 3 Rep. Marco Peter has submitted his intent to run for the House in Precinct 5 as a Republican candidate. Precinct 5 has two House seats. Its other member is independent Rep. Angelo A. Camacho.
Manglona said he wants to make it clear that “I don’t have anything against the party. I’m not leaving on any bad terms. It is purely out of my respect for everybody that has declared so far that they are running in Precinct 5.”
He said he is not leaving the party due to any “negative instances — there is no misunderstanding or anything like that, just purely my personal decision.”
He reiterated that he is running as a “completely independent” candidate with no affiliation.
Manglona said he has consulted his family about his decision. He also informed the Republican Party about it, “and they respect my sentiments.”
“It was a bittersweet thing to leave the party,” he said, adding that his morals and his beliefs “still align with the Republican Party’s.”
“But I think I need to do what is best for the community,” he added.
He said, “Whoever is elected should continue to work together and I think our acts speak for ourselves. As far as I and Rep. Angelo Camacho are concerned, we have been working together.”
Rather than endorsing a particular candidate, “I just want to focus on my own campaign and whatever the outcome, I will continue to work with whoever is elected regardless of the party,” Manglona said.
