In a luncheon meeting at Fitial’s residence in Gualo Rai at 12 noon, the governor, Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos and other government officials expressed support for Camacho, a former Republican who backed the incumbent congressional delegate, Gregorio C. Sablan, in the 2008 election.
Camacho ran for lt. governor as an Independent candidate last year, but his ticket placed third in the four-way race. He then endorsed Fitial in the runoff.
The governor said he asked Camacho to consider running for U.S. delegate when they met two days after the general elections last year.
Fitial said he strongly believes that the CNMI needs someone with legal training and expertise, considering the “chemistry” in the U.S. Congress, 70 percent of whose members are attorneys, he added.
“I am very happy that the Covenant Party will be supporting a candidate who is legally trained and also has a degree in public administration, a master’s and has experience as a lawmaker,” Fitial told the ruling party’s officials and members yesterday.
“I strongly believe that we have a qualified, competent candidate for delegate. So I would like to respectfully ask all of you to please support Camacho as candidate for delegate of the CNMI to the U.S. Congress,” he added.
Fitial’s nomination of Camacho was seconded and the party members voiced their unanimous approval.
Camacho was the only individual who submitted a letter of intent to run for U.S. delegate as a Covenant candidate.
The ruling party did not field a candidate in the 2008 election.
Covenant Party Chairman Gregorio M. Camacho said they will ratify the nomination during their general membership meeting on March 24.
Felix Nogis, the chairman of the committee to elect Joseph N. Camacho, said there are critical issues regarding which the CNMI delegate and the governor should stand united in the U.S. Congress, but “that is not the case right now.”
Nogis cited as an example the federal wage increase which the governor opposes, but Sablan “does not consider it as a priority.”
“I think we should be supportive and establish a united front by supporting this administration instead of having a separate set of priorities,” Nogis said.
Former House Floor Leader Camacho, for his part, said the people of the CNMI need a clear voice in the U.S. Congress, a delegate who will work closely and cooperatively with the local government — the administration, Legislature and the
municipal governments.
The delegate, he added, does not work for the federal government, but should work for the people of the CNMI.
“We need a delegate who is qualified, willing to cooperate with other people in order to get the job done, and has the ability to put the interest of the people first,” he said.
He said the people of the CNMI “feel that they are forgotten by the people in D.C,” and for this reason, he decided to run for Congress.
He said the CNMI needs to hold the U.S. to its promises.
He added that no person in an elected office should take credit for work he did not do.
Kimberly King-Hinds, who works with the Tinian Mayor’s Office, said she likes Camacho because he is a good listener.
Being an attorney and a former lawmaker, Camacho is absolutely qualified to be the CNMI’s delegate to the U.S. Congress, she added.
Press Secretary Angel Demapan said he believes the Covenant Party has chosen the most qualified candidate, “and when Camacho gets to Washington, he will do a great job because he has a tremendous background and experience.”
