“DAVE and I want to say this: This is not about us, this is not just our victory. This is your victory. This is the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands people’s victory!”
Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios thus said at the election-night gathering of his supporters at Garapan Central Park early Saturday morning.
The Independent tandem of Palacios and his running mate, Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, convincingly defeated the Republican team of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Senate Floor Leader Vinnie F. Sablan in the Nov. 25 gubernatorial runoff.
According to the unofficial runoff election results, Palacios-Apatang received 7,077 or 54.05% of the votes cast while Torres-Sablan garnered 6,017 or 45.95% of the votes cast.
In his remarks, Palacios, who will be the CNMI’s 10th governor in January 2023, expressed his gratitude to everyone in the Commonwealth who supported his and Apatang’s candidacies.
In their remarks, Palacios and Apatang also acknowledged the endorsement of the Democratic Party’s former candidates for governor and lt. governor, Reps. Tina Sablan and Leila Staffler.
“I want to thank you for continuing to be with us up to this early Saturday morning,” Palacios said. “You’ve been with us the whole way. Thank you very much on behalf of our family. We are humbled by everything that you have done for us from the very beginning.”
He added, “On a humble note, there have been so many of you who have unselfishly contributed your time, your support to a cause that each of us want to see for our Commonwealth [which] deserves better than what we have today,” Palacios said.
For his part, Apatang said, “It’s been a long journey and we did it. We worked together, making sure that our [other] candidates are victorious in the last general election.”
Now that they have united with the NMI Democrats, Apatang said, “we are going to move the Commonwealth forward for all of you, the people of the Commonwealth.”
The AD 2022 campaign committee chairman, former Speaker Oscar M. Babauta, said they will soon discuss the creation of a transition committee.
‘A clear mandate’
Rep. Tina Sablan congratulated Palacios and Apatang, saying, “Now, let’s begin the work of healing our community, together.”
In a statement to Variety on Sunday, Sablan said she and Staffler “thank every citizen who exercised their right and responsibility to vote in this critical election, and especially thank their own supporters who gave their votes to Arnold and Dave in the runoff.”
Sablan added, “We saw the need for change in our leadership, and we understood that the only way to make that change happen was to join forces behind Arnold and Dave for the greater good. Our coalition of Democrats, Independents, and other supporters delivered the votes to carry Arnold and Dave over the finish line.”
She said “the people handed Arnold and Dave a decisive victory, and a clear mandate to follow through on their commitments to restore trust in our government, and lay the foundations for good governance in the Marianas.”
“Now the hard work begins, of healing our community, cleaning up our government, and rebuilding our islands and economy for a safer, healthier and more equitable future. This work can’t be done by Arnold and Dave alone though,” Sablan said.
“The change we need begins when we vote for it, but it doesn’t end there. We need everyone to do their part to hold all our leaders accountable, demand fairness and transparency from our government, and contribute their time and talents to help make the CNMI a better place for all,” she added.
Independent gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios delivers a speech at Garapan Central Park while he and supporters wait for the announcement of the unofficial election results early Saturday morning.
Independent lt. governor candidate Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang speaks to supporters at the Garapan Central Park early Saturday morning.
