Members of the current U.S. House of Representatives are either Republicans (202) or Democrats (233).
GOP national committeeman Roman “Bo” Palacios, in an interview on Friday, said a member of the U.S. Congress gets a committee assignment based on his or her party affiliation.
Independents, he added, “get the bottom of the barrel” and are usually not given a committee assignment.
Saipan Republican Rep. Joseph C. Reyes, chairman of the Committee-to-Elect Pete A. Tenorio, said if you are neither a Republican nor a Democrat in the U.S. Congress, “they’ll put you in the back seat where all you have got to do is listen.”
Reyes said if the CNMI elects an Independent congressional delegate, “how effective or efficient his work would be? Would he be able to represent us?”
He said having somebody like Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio in the U.S. Congress is the best chance for the CNMI to have a voice in the nation’s capital.
Tenorio, Reyes said, has the most experience among the candidates and has the best relationship with members of the U.S. Congress.
“How long would it take for somebody there just to be known? Would you be able to represent your people within the short term period?” Reyes said.
A congressional delegate, like other members of the U.S. House, will serve a two-year term.
Palacios said Tenorio is the only candidate nominated by political party duly recognized by a national party.
“They know him,” Palacios said. “He has a strong relationship with U.S. Republicans and I think he will definitely be the most effective person in our entire candidate pool. And that’s a huge distinction if we’re serious about this historic election.”
