From left, NMI Democratic Party Chairman Jonathan P. Cabrera, Rep. Leila Staffler, Rep. Tina Sablan, former Gov. Carlos S. Camacho, Independent gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, his running mate Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, and former Speaker Oscar M. Babauta with former Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, seated, at the Minatchom Atdao Pavilion in Susupe following a motorcade on Saturday.
THE NMI Independents and Democrats on Saturday staged a motorcade and an “appreciation rally” at the Minatchom Atdao Pavilion in Susupe for the coalition supporting the Independent gubernatorial tandem of Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and his running mate Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang.
“We will work together moving forward,” said former Speaker Oscar M. Babauta, the campaign chairman of the Palacios-Apatang team.
Joining the Independent slate and their supporters in the gathering were the NMI’s Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Tina Sablan, and her running mate Rep. Leila Staffler, NMI Democratic Party Chairman Jonathan P. Cabrera, other Democrats and their supporters.
Sablan and Staffler finished third in the Nov. 8 general election which was topped by the Republican tandem of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and running mate Senate Floor Leader Vinnie F. Sablan who received 5,726 votes, or 38.83% of the total votes cast.
Palacios-Apatang garnered 4,890 votes or 33.16% of the total votes cast while Reps. Sablan and Staffler got 4,132 or 28.02% of the total votes cast.
Because no one received a majority of the votes cast, Torres-Sablan and Palacios-Apatang will face each other in a runoff election set for Nov. 25. Palacios, the governor’s running mate in 2018, and Apatang are former Republicans.
NMI Democratic Party Chairman Jonathan P. Cabrera said his party stands with Palacios and Apatang, adding that he trusts the Democrats’ supporters. “Because they trust us and we trust them, they will follow suit. They will vote for Arnold and Dave,” he said.
“We respect those votes — they voted for us, and out of respect for those votes, we also need to go out there and speak to them and let them know that we have a choice, and the better choice is Arnold and Dave,” Cabrera added.
From left, Rep. Leila Staffler, Rep. Tina Sablan, former Gov. Carlos S. Camacho, Independent gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez and Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang at the Minatchom Atdao Pavilion in Susupe following a motorcade on Saturday.
One objective
In his remarks, Palacios said, “This is not about me. Nor is it about me and Dave. This is about a movement to fix the Commonwealth. There is no denying anymore that we need to do that.”
He said he and Apatang will ensure that they collaborate with everyone regardless of political affiliation for the people of the CNMI.
“Both Tina and I went on…different paths but there is only one objective and that is to bring integrity, decency and transparency of government to this Commonwealth that our people of all our islands are longing for,” Palacios said.
He said they will “take back our government where it rightly belongs and that is back to our people and the Commonwealth.”
Palacios also took the opportunity to congratulate all the candidates who won in the general election regardless of their political affiliations.
“We hope that in the runoff election David and I and this movement for a better government and rebuilding trust will prevail,” Palacios said.
For his part, Apatang said, “Today is a historical day for the Commonwealth. This is the first time that this ever happened. The independents and Democrats joining together for the people of the Commonwealth. Today is a very significant day for all of us. I am very happy to see everybody this afternoon and thank you from the bottom of my heart. We love you very much and thank you for joining us in this direction to change the movement of this government.”
He also thanked Reps. Tina Sablan and Leila Staffler as well as the Democratic Party chairman for joining them “to make sure that we change the direction of this Commonwealth for…good governance for the people of the Commonwealth.”
It’s time for change, Apatang added.
