Sablan topped the historic delegate election on Nov. 4, garnering 2,279 votes or 360 more than Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio who received 1,919.
About 655 absentee votes will be counted on Nov. 18, but CNMI officials concede that it is statistically improbable for Tenorio to overtake Sablan’s lead.
There were nine candidates in the delegate race.
Rep. Tina Saban, Ind.-Saipan, said the former executive director of the Commonwealth Election Commission “will do a fine job as the CNMI’s first delegate. On the campaign trail Kilili demonstrated both his keen grasp of the issues facing the CNMI as well as his ability to garner support from, and build relationships with, diverse groups of people. These will be important strengths for him as our delegate in Washington.”
She noted that Gregorio C. Sablan’s platform focused on economic development, a very important issue for local residents.
“I am hopeful that he will indeed keep his focus on issues related to economic development and building partnerships with the federal government to that end,” she said.
“The CNMI would benefit tremendously from his efforts to secure resources that would help to stabilize and strengthen our basic infrastructure, promote energy independence and renewable energy, and stabilize and develop the local workforce through vocational assistance, small business opportunities, and immigration reform,” she added.
Sen. Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, believes in Mr. Sablan’s ability to represent the people of the commonwealth in Washington, D.C.
He said Mr. Sablan’s first challenge is how to familiarize the members of the U.S. Congress about the Northern Marianas and how it became a part of the nation.
“I hope he will meet with many members of the U.S. House of Representatives to educate them about the Northern Marianas,” Manglona said. “A lot of them don’t know anything about the CNMI.”
