Chamorro rights advocate Liana S. Hofschneider smiles after filing her candidacy at the Commonwealth Election Commission.
LIANA S. Hofschneider considers herself a nonpartisan candidate for the U.S. Congress.
“I will be running as a non-partisan. It is very important to distinguish that, because there’s the coalition of Democrats and independents, who are an offshoot of the local Republican Party,” the Chamorro activist said in an interview on Wednesday afternoon.
“I’m running as a non-partisan,” she reiterated. “That means I am not attached to any of the local political parties or groups. ‘Independents’ are supposed to be that, but it is no longer that reason, right? And I hope people will give me an opportunity. I am also looking forward to the U.S. delegates forum on August 17, and I’m looking forward to talking about the issues,” she added.
According to Hofschneider, Washington, D.C. is not new to her.
“I had been going to Washington, D.C. three years prior to us having a delegate, representing the interest of University of Hawaii. [Now,] I want to be given the opportunity to represent our islands in [Congress]. We have a lot of critical issues. I want to talk about the Covenant, the promises of the Covenant — that is the buzzword nowadays. That should have been the purpose of every elected official, ever since, and that’s why I want to talk about the Covenant to see where we’re at. It’s been 49 years since we signed that document. … The 902 discussion is always a big discussion every election time, but nobody talks about the Covenant, its insights and promises,” she said.
“I want the people of the CNMI to please give me an opportunity to represent our islands, and our people, and let’s do this so we can bring the highest standard of living as promised for every citizen in the CNMI,” she added.
Besides Hofschneider, the other candidates for U.S. delegate are Republican Kimberlyn King-Hinds, a lawyer and former Commonwealth Ports Authority board chair; freelance business consultant and grants writer John Oliver Delos Reyes Bolis Gonzales, independent; Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Director Jim Rayphand, independent; and House Floor Leader Edwin Propst, Democrat.
