Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)
Covenant Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President | Greg Camacho |
| Founder | Benigno Fitial[1] |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Dissolved | 2013 |
| Split from | Republican Party |
| Merged into | Republican Party |
| Ideology | Populism |
| Political position | Big tent |
| Colors | Green White |
The Covenant Party was a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The party was founded in 2001, splitting from the Republican Party and was dissolved in 2013, with the party merging back into the Republican Party. The party advocated for governmental and financial reform.
History
[edit]2001 – 2008
[edit]The party was named after the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, Act of Mar. 24, 1976, Pub. L. 94-241, 90 Stat. 263, codified as amended at 48 U.S.C. § 1801 note.
In the 2003 general election, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. The party mostly made up of members from the Republican Party, but many prominent Democrats would also join the party.[2]
In the 2005 general elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the strongest parties in the Commonwealth when Benigno R. Fitial, the party's gubernatorial candidate, won the election. The Covenant Party won seven of eighteen seats in the commonwealth's House of Representatives and three of nine seats in its Senate.
In the 2007 general election, the Covenant Party won only four of twenty seats in the House of Representatives. The party maintained three seats in senate.[3]
Scandal
[edit]In August 2008, Villagomez was indicted on felony charges relating to the misuse of government funds.[4] On April 24, 2009, he was found guilty along with former Commerce Secretary James A. Santos and his wife Joaquina V. Santos (Villagomez's sister) relating to a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. through needless purchases of a de-scaling chemical called Rydlyme.[5] Awaiting sentencing on July 28, 2009, Villagomez tendered his resignation on April 24.[6]
2009 – 2013
[edit]In December 2010, Governor Benigno Fitial proposed that the Covenant Party merge with the Republican Party.[7][8] Republican and Covenant Party leaders rejected the proposal, and the Covenant Party contested the 2012 general elections.[1][9] Governor Benigno Fitial would leave the Covenant Party and rejoin the Republican Party, passing leadership to Eloy Inos.[10] In 2012, the Covenant Party endorsed then-independent Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan whom Benigno Fitial wanted replaced with a Republican in the 2012 elections.[10]
In September 2013, Governor Eloy Inos again tried to merge the Covenant Party with the Republican Party.[11] The party is considered dissolved when Inos departed the party and rejoined the Republican Party in 2013.[12][13] Many left the party soon after, most moving to the Republican Party, making it a Republican Party absorption of the Covenant Party.[14] On August 19, 2021, during an interview on the 2022 gubernatorial election, Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios mentioned that the Republican Party did vote to approve the merger in 2013.[13]
Electoral history
[edit]CNMI Gubernatorial elections
[edit]| Year | Nominees | First Round | Second Round | Result | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Votes | Percentage | Placement | ±% | Votes | Percentage | Placement | ±% | ||
| 2005 | 3,766 | 1st | N/A | Run-off voting was not implemented yet | Won | ||||||
| 2009 | 4,892 | 2nd |  8.19
|
6,610 | 1st | N/A | Won | ||||
CNMI Delegate election
[edit]| Year | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Placement | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Joseph James Norita Camacho | 2,744 | 2nd | Lost |
CNMI Territorial Senate elections
[edit]| Year | District | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Placement | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Rota 1st Senatorial District (2 seats) | Felix Taisacan Mendiola | 634 | 1st | Won | |
| Paterno Songao Hocog | 599 | 3rd | Lost | |||
| Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Joseph Masga Mendiola | 583 | 1st | Won | ||
| Joaquin Hoashi Borja | 512 | 4th | Lost | |||
| Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Claudio Kotomar Norita | 4,270 | 3rd | Lost | ||
| 2007 | Rota 1st Senatorial District (1 seat) | Crispin Manglona Ogo | 491 | 2nd | Lost | |
| Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (1 seat) | Henry Hofschneider San Nicolas | 599 | 1st | Won | ||
| Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (1 seat) | Ramon Santos Dela Cruz | 1,384 | 4th | Lost | ||
| 2009 | Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Joaquin Hoashi Borja | 564 | 3rd | Lost | |
| Joseph Masga Mendiola (incumbent) | 549 | 4th | Lost | |||
| Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Jacinta Matagolai Kaipat | 2,947 | 3rd | Lost | ||
| Ana Sablan Teregeyo | 1,768 | 6th | Lost | |||
| 2012 | Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (1 seat) | Ana Sablan Teregeyo | 1,225 | 4th | Lost |
CNMI Territorial House of Representatives elections
[edit]| Year | District | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Placement | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Jacinta Matagolai Kaipat | 1,891 | 6th | Won | |
| Jesus Camacho Muna | 1,334 | 11th | Lost | |||
| Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog | 1,330 | 12th | Lost | |||
| Juan Cepeda Deleon Guerrero | 1,318 | 13th | Lost | |||
| Herman Pangelinan Sablan | 1,005 | 14th | Lost | |||
| District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Oscar Manglona Babauta | 600 | 1st | Won | ||
| Jesus San Nicolas Lizama | 463 | 2nd | Won | |||
| District 3: Saipan & Northern Islands (6 seats) | Francisco Santos Dela Cruz | 1,118 | 4th | Won | ||
| Absalon Victor, Jr. Waki | 999 | 6th | Won | |||
| Melvin Larence Odoshi Faisao | 964 | 7th | Lost | |||
| Henry Kaipat Rabauliman | 941 | 8th | Lost | |||
| Howard Iglecias Macaranas | 917 | 9th | Lost | |||
| District 4: Saipan (2 seats) | Gonzalo Quitugua Santos | 625 | 3rd | Lost | ||
| District 5: Tinian (1 seat) | Edwin Palacios Aldan | 555 | 1st | Won | ||
| District 6: Rota (1 seat) | Crispin Mangloña Ogo | 833 | 1st | Won | ||
| 2007 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog | 678 | 10th | Lost | |
| District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Oscar Manglona Babauta | 383 | 1st | Won | ||
| Raymond Demapan Palacios | 381 | 2nd | Won | |||
| District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | Francisco "Frank" Santos Dela Cruz | 1,109 | 6th | Won | ||
| David Reyes Maratita | 915 | 8th | Lost | |||
| District 5: Saipan (2 seats) | Ramon Sablan Basa | 241 | 5th | Lost | ||
| Jesus Camacho Muna | 186 | 8th | Lost | |||
| District 6: Tinian (1 seats) | Edwin Palacios Aldan | 547 | 1st | Won | ||
| 2009 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio | 1,671 | 2nd | Won | |
| Vicente Camacho Cabrera | 993 | 10th | Lost | |||
| Benjamin Matagolai Cepeda | 918 | 11th | Lost | |||
| Antonia Manibusan Tudela | 852 | 12th | Lost | |||
| Canice Kaipat Taitano | 764 | 13th | Lost | |||
| District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Raymond Demapan Palacios (incumbent) | 494 | 1st | Won | ||
| Rafael Sablan Demapan | 381 | 2nd | Won | |||
| District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | Felicidad Taman Ogumoro | 1,140 | 4th | Won | ||
| Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez | 1,079 | 5th | Won | |||
| Jesus Mareham Elameto | 957 | 7th | Lost | |||
| David Reyes Maratita | 901 | 8th | Lost | |||
| Henry Kaipat Rabauliman | 864 | 10th | Lost | |||
| District 4: Saipan (2 seats) | Sylvestre Ilo Iguel | 618 | 2nd | Won | ||
| Thomas Jesus Camacho | 480 | 4th | Lost | |||
| District 5: Saipan (2 seats) | Ramon Sablan Basa | 664 | 2nd | Won | ||
| Daniel Ogo Quitugua | 409 | 6th | Lost | |||
| District 6: Tinian (1 seat) | Edwin Palacios Aldan (incumbent) | 550 | 2nd | Lost | ||
| 2012 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Martin Cabrera Sablan | 1,060 | 7th | Lost | |
| District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | John Paul Palacios Sablan | 547 | 1st | Won | ||
| Rafael Sablan Demapan (incumbent) | 521 | 2nd | Won | |||
| District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez (incumbent) | 963 | 4th | Won | ||
| Brian Ayuyu Torres | 362 | 16th | Lost | |||
| District 4: Saipan (2 seats) | Christopher Duenas Leon Guerrero | 639 | 1st | Won |
CNMI Mayoral elections
[edit]| Year | District | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Placement | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Mayor - Saipan | Juan Borja Tudela | 3,786 | 1st | Won | |
| Mayor - Tinian and Aguiguan | Jose Pangelinan Borja San Nicolas | 560 | 1st | Won | ||
| Mayor - Rota | Joseph Songao Inos | 511 | 1st | Won | ||
| 2009 | Mayor - Tinian & Aquiguan | Jose Pangelinan Borja San Nicolas (incumbent) | 565 | 2nd | Lost | |
| Mayor - Northern Islands | Ramona Taisakan Rebuenog | 68 | 2nd | Lost |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Eugenio, Haidee (March 25, 2011). "10-year-old Covenant Party to field candidates for 2012 midterm polls". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013.
- ^ Staff, Variety News (10 December 2020). "Editorials | What's in a name". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
- ^ Dandan, Zaldy (8 January 2021). "Variations | If you're keeping score". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
- ^ Sebastian, Stefan (2008-08-12). "Villagomez, 3 others indicted". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ "Saipan Tribune". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ "Villagomez resigns". Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ "Covenant, GOP to merge", Saipan Tribune, 2010-12-10 Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Center, Pacific News (2010-12-12). "CNMI's GOP Cautious About Proposed Merger With Covenant Party". PNC News First. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ Eugenio, Haidee (October 27, 2012). "Today's rally brings together Covenants, Dems, independents". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
- ^ a b Staff, Variety News (24 March 2012). "BREAKING NEWS: Inos, Covenant Party endorse Kilili". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ Eugenio, Haidee (September 19, 2013). "Inos, Covenant Party members rejoining GOP". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
- ^ Eugenio, Haidee (19 September 2013). "Inos, Covenant Party members rejoining GOP". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ a b Erediano, Emmanuel T. (20 August 2021). "Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios will 'most likely' run for governor with Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang as his running-mate". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
- ^ "Lee Pan wants to be next Saipan mayor". Saipan Tribune. 2021-04-06. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
