NMI Democratic Party president Manny Sablan, in a statement yesterday, said “it would make more sense for the winner of this historical election to join the local Democrats since their national counterparts are the majority in the U.S. Congress.”
Sablan was reacting to the claim by the local Republican Party that its candidate will have better chances in the “very partisan” U.S. Congress because the GOP is the only local party recognized by its national counterpart.
The local Democrats are not yet affiliated with the national party.
In an interview yesterday, Sablan, a former House member, said non-voting delegates are not treated the same way as other U.S. lawmakers who have voting powers. However, he added, a Democratic delegate can get committee assignments.
He added that the local Democratic candidate, former Sen. David M. Cing, is known to key members of the U.S. Congress and has the better chance to get important committee assignments.
Sablan said local Democrats will be recognized by the national party next year.
He said the fact that Democrats are expected to retain control over the U.S. Congress means that Cing, if elected, will provide better representation for the CNMI.
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