HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Delegate Michael San Nicolas and longtime broadcast journalist Sabrina Salas Matanane on Tuesday formally announced their gubernatorial ticket, vowing to steer election conversations away from “negative politics” and bring the focus back “on the people.”
San Nicolas said he did not allow an ongoing congressional ethics investigation process to be an issue in his reelection bid “and it certainly is not going to be an issue in this gubernatorial race.”
Instead, he is focusing on “what the next four years is going to bring” and “how the lives of our people are going to improve,” something that he said the other two gubernatorial tickets have not talked about.
“So today we’re just so grateful that we’re able to have a day like this, where we’re finally going to bring the focus away from the negativity, away from the politics, away from the distractions, and back on the people,” he said.
San Nicolas and Salas Matanane, along with their families and supporters, picked up a gubernatorial candidate packet Tuesday from the Guam Election Commission, but will file their formal candidacy at a later time.
Without an organizational report filed with GEC, the candidates won’t be able to raise and spend campaign funds in excess of $250.
“I think there’s just so much that needs to change,” San Nicolas said.
The first thing, he said, is “purpose” in running for governor.
“If you’re this far wrong already, as a sitting governor or as somebody who has declared to run for this office, and you haven’t talked about the people, then clearly there’s a lack of purpose,” he said.
The San Nicolas-Salas Matanane ticket will be challenging Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio in the Democratic primary on Aug. 27.
Whoever emerges victorious will face off with what is so far the only team on the Republican side, former Gov. Felix Camacho and Sen. Tony Ada, in the Nov. 8 general election.
Salas Matanane, who reported on the stories about San Nicolas’ ethics investigation since 2019, along with the rest of the local media, said she has discussed this with San Nicolas since “it was a concern of mine.”
“I’ve read the confidentially leaked documents from 2-1/2 to three years ago, but what I’ve also read, … from just a month ago, that we have $320 million sitting in a bank. Why aren’t we putting that money out to help people? Why are we dangling it, ‘oh, we’re getting close to the election, let’s give some money away,'” she said.
The Office of Congressional Ethics, in a 2020 report, said there is “substantial reason to believe” San Nicolas failed to disclose required information or disclosed false information in his Federal Election Commission filings, accepted cash contributions in excess of FEC limits, and converted campaign funds to personal use.
‘Risk is worth it’
Salas Matanane, who resigned from KUAM as its managing director for local productions, said she’s “tired of the negative politics.”
She was referring to “good people,” who she said want to step up and run for public office but don’t do so for fear of “political retribution” and fear of losing their jobs or risking their family members’ jobs.
“I’m not going to lie. I am terrified, right,” she said. “I lost my job, I lost my car, I lost my health insurance, I lost everything, but the risk is worth it. And that is why I’m here today.”
The longtime journalist said she knew there would be negativity and “so much attacks against me, against my family” when events unfolded Monday.
“But it’s worth the risk, like I said. Somebody has to step up. Somebody has to stand up for the people of Guam, and I am putting everything on the line,” she said. “More than 20 years in this business and I’m ready, I’m really ready to make a difference.”
As for the criticism that she doesn’t have experience in government, she said she has been covering government for more than 20 years and has lived on Guam for decades.
“Somebody like me and all of you journalists that are here today, you know the issues, you know what it’s like to live on Guam. You’ve seen all the negative attacks that have been going on. Could you imagine if they used all that effort into all the negativity to actually do their jobs and help people?” she said.
Salas Matanane also encouraged residents to register to vote.
“That is the only way we’re going to win,” she said.
The governor’s director of communications, Krystal Paco-San Agustin, on Tuesday said “our democracy empowers any eligible member of our community to run for elected office, and we look forward to productive and positive civic engagement.”
The Progressive Democrats of Guam or PDG, in a statement, called out San Nicolas on his announcement of running for governor to focus on “the people.”
“In February, he said, as governor, he would have canceled the public health emergency immediately,” PDG chapter leader Julian Janssen said. “That would have taken food off the table for 45,000 children and 15,000 working families. We strongly oppose hurting working families that way.”
San Nicolas said this shouldn’t just be a pandemic election.
“We need to be talking about health, education, public safety, but not just in the context of how those are important and creating all these promises that never actually happen but what material things can we do to really achieve outcomes in those areas?” he said.
Political parties, he said, should never be an issue, adding that all bills — whether introduced by a Democrat, Republican or independent — should be weighed based on their “merits.”
Candidacy filing opens
Tuesday was the first day to file candidacy for the primary election, and only Sen. Jose “Pedo” Terlaje filed his candidacy on day one. He is seeking reelection.
“I am running to preserve the heritage of the CHamoru people, to support our public safety officers in fighting crime on this island and to ensure that every child has access to a good education and everybody has access to quality health care,” the senator said in a statement after the filing.
Delegate Michael San Nicolas and his running mate, Sabrina Salas Matanane, wave to family and friends watching on social media after picking up their campaign packet Tuesday at the Guam Election Commission office in Tamuning.
