Edith Deleon Guerrero
Manny Castro
SENATE President Edith Deleon Guerrero and Rep. Manny Gregory T. Castro thanked the CNMI people for exercising their right to vote and helping keep this year’s midterm election clean.
The Senate president, who lost to Castro, said she is very thankful to the people for giving her the opportunity to serve them. She said she accepts the outcome of the election.
Castro, the NMI Democratic Party’s candidate for Saipan’s open Senate seat, garnered 5,178 votes, or 52.89% of the total votes cast, while Deleon Guerrero, who ran as an independent, got 4,210 votes, or 43%.
Deleon Guerrero said, “I’ve always placed in my heart the people first, to serve the Commonwealth and its people in the best way I can. And I believe I’ve served with dignity.”
She noted that several of her efforts on behalf of the CNMI have come to fruition. These included Senate Joint Resolution 23-5, which urged Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and President Joe Biden to hold Section 902 consultations, and her letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding the reinstatement of Annex VI of the U.S.-China bilateral agreement, so that the CNMI can be exempted again from the China flight frequency limitations.
“We just had the 902 talks, and USDOT has replied to my request, although it took a lot follow-ups. So yes, everything that I’ve been doing is for the best interest of the Commonwealth,” she said. “I am very thankful for that. I think it’s a good sign for the Commonwealth.”
She added, “I’m always for the people, for the economy, and I never took anything from the people. That has been always my principle as a person. I’m just happy that I’ve served the people for four years and everything that I did was for the people and the Commonwealth.”
For his part, Castro thanked all the voters, not only on Saipan but also those on Tinian and Rota, for exercising their right to vote. He also thanked his campaign committee.
He noted that the election “was a very clean race.”
“Thank you to all the people,” he said. “The work still continues.”
