Rep. Heinz S. Hosfchneider and his running mate, Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, said they have already started reaching out to their constituents.
“There is no substitute for personal contact. We have been going out and meeting people to talk about issues so they could directly hear from us,” said Hofschneider in an interview yesterday. “We are ready for the primary.”
He said the party should learn its lessons, referring to the 2005 split.
“We all learned that solidarity is one of the key ingredients in winning an election. Divisiveness will lead us nowhere,” he added.
“A primary has always been well received by the voters. That has been very instrumental in upholding the standards of democracy in our party. The losing ticket should always support the winning candidate,” he said.
Palacios, for his part, said the primary is a GOP tradition that should be respected.
“It honors each ticket and the party’s philosophy too,” he added.
Ed Deleon Guerrero, the campaign manager of Babauta and his running mate, Mount Carmel High School principal Galvin Deleon Guerrero, said they, too, are already preparing for the primary.
“We are working very hard to ensure that we will be victorious,” he said.
Ed Deleon Guerrero said they are also hoping that if Rep. Diego T. Benavente officially backs out of the gubernatorial race, he would support the Juan-Galvin team.
Benavente was Babauta’s running mate in the 2001 and 2005 elections.
Ed Tenorio, GOP president, said winning is their goal, which can only be achieved through unity.
