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Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)

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Covenant Party
PresidentGreg Camacho
FounderBenigno Fitial[1]
Founded2001 (2001)
Dissolved2013 (2013)
Split fromRepublican Party
Merged intoRepublican Party
IdeologyPopulism
Political positionBig 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

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2001 - 2008

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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

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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

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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

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CNMI Gubernatorial elections

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Year Nominees First Round Second Round Result
Governor Lieutenant Governor Votes Percentage Placement ±% Votes Percentage Placement ±%
2005 3,766
27.95%
1st N/A Run-off voting was not implemented yet Won
2009 4,892
36.14%
2nd Increase 8.19 6,610
51.44%
1st N/A Won

CNMI Delegate election

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Year Candidate Votes Percentage Placement Result
2010 Joseph James Norita Camacho 2,744
24.23%
2nd Lost

CNMI Territorial Senate elections

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Year District Candidate Votes Percentage Placement Result
2005 Rota 1st Senatorial District (2 seats) Felix Taisacan Mendiola 634
23.62%
1st Won
Paterno Songao Hocog 599
22.32%
3rd Lost
Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) Joseph Masga Mendiola 583
26.77%
1st Won
Joaquin Hoashi Borja 512
23.51%
4th Lost
Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) Claudio Kotomar Norita 4,270
21.31%
3rd Lost
2007 Rota 1st Senatorial District (1 seat) Crispin Manglona Ogo 491
37.68%
2nd Lost
Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (1 seat) Henry Hofschneider San Nicolas 599
55.93%
1st Won
Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (1 seat) Ramon Santos Dela Cruz 1,384
15.53%
4th Lost
2009 Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) Joaquin Hoashi Borja 564
23.04%
3rd Lost
Joseph Masga Mendiola (incumbent) 549
22.43%
4th Lost
Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) Jacinta Matagolai Kaipat 2,947
14.90%
3rd Lost
Ana Sablan Teregeyo 1,768
8.94%
6th Lost
2012 Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (1 seat) Ana Sablan Teregeyo 1,225
13.06%
4th Lost

CNMI Territorial House of Representatives elections

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Year District Candidate Votes Percentage Placement Result
2005 District 1: Saipan (6 seats) Jacinta Matagolai Kaipat 1,891
6.92%
6th Won
Jesus Camacho Muna 1,334
4.88%
11th Lost
Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog 1,330
4.87%
12th Lost
Juan Cepeda Deleon Guerrero 1,318
4.83%
13th Lost
Herman Pangelinan Sablan 1,005
3.68%
14th Lost
District 2: Saipan (2 seats) Oscar Manglona Babauta 600
41.50%
1st Won
Jesus San Nicolas Lizama 463
32.05%
2nd Won
District 3: Saipan & Northern Islands (6 seats) Francisco Santos Dela Cruz 1,118
8.49%
4th Won
Absalon Victor, Jr. Waki 999
7.59%
6th Won
Melvin Larence Odoshi Faisao 964
7.32%
7th Lost
Henry Kaipat Rabauliman 941
7.14%
8th Lost
Howard Iglecias Macaranas 917
6.96%
9th Lost
District 4: Saipan (2 seats) Gonzalo Quitugua Santos 625
18.14%
3rd Lost
District 5: Tinian (1 seat) Edwin Palacios Aldan 555
52.21%
1st Won
District 6: Rota (1 seat) Crispin Mangloña Ogo 833
61.10%
1st Won
2007 District 1: Saipan (6 seats) Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog 678
4.47%
10th Lost
District 2: Saipan (2 seats) Oscar Manglona Babauta 383
23.97%
1st Won
Raymond Demapan Palacios 381
6.92%
2nd Won
District 3: Saipan (6 seats) Francisco "Frank" Santos Dela Cruz 1,109
10.48%
6th Won
David Reyes Maratita 915
8.65%
8th Lost
District 5: Saipan (2 seats) Ramon Sablan Basa 241
8.50%
5th Lost
Jesus Camacho Muna 186
6.56%
8th Lost
District 6: Tinian (1 seats) Edwin Palacios Aldan 547
51.65%
1st Won
2009 District 1: Saipan (6 seats) Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio 1,671
9.83%
2nd Won
Vicente Camacho Cabrera 993
5.84%
10th Lost
Benjamin Matagolai Cepeda 918
5.40%
11th Lost
Antonia Manibusan Tudela 852
5.01%
12th Lost
Canice Kaipat Taitano 764
4.49%
13th Lost
District 2: Saipan (2 seats) Raymond Demapan Palacios (incumbent) 494
27.07%
1st Won
Rafael Sablan Demapan 381
20.88%
2nd Won
District 3: Saipan (6 seats) Felicidad Taman Ogumoro 1,140
8.48%
4th Won
Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez 1,079
8.03%
5th Won
Jesus Mareham Elameto 957
7.12%
7th Lost
David Reyes Maratita 901
6.70%
8th Lost
Henry Kaipat Rabauliman 864
6.43%
10th Lost
District 4: Saipan (2 seats) Sylvestre Ilo Iguel 618
23.69%
2nd Won
Thomas Jesus Camacho 480
18.40%
4th Lost
District 5: Saipan (2 seats) Ramon Sablan Basa 664
18.83%
2nd Won
Daniel Ogo Quitugua 409
11.60%
6th Lost
District 6: Tinian (1 seat) Edwin Palacios Aldan (incumbent) 550
45.80%
2nd Lost
2012 District 1: Saipan (6 seats) Martin Cabrera Sablan 1,060
6.64%
7th Lost
District 2: Saipan (2 seats) John Paul Palacios Sablan 547
28.40%
1st Won
Rafael Sablan Demapan (incumbent) 521
27.05%
2nd Won
District 2: Saipan (2 seats) Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez (incumbent) 963
7.61%
4th Won
Brian Ayuyu Torres 362
2.86%
16th Lost
District 4: Saipan (2 seats) Christopher Duenas Leon Guerrero 639
30.47%
1st Won

CNMI Mayoral elections

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Year District Candidate Votes Percentage Placement Result
2005 Mayor - Saipan Juan Borja Tudela 3,786
35.75%
1st Won
Mayor - Tinian and Aguiguan Jose Pangelinan Borja San Nicolas 560
57.76%
1st Won
Mayor - Rota Joseph Songao Inos 511
36.11%
1st Won
2009 Mayor - Tinian & Aquiguan Jose Pangelinan Borja San Nicolas (incumbent) 565
44.81%
2nd Lost
Mayor - Northern Islands Ramona Taisakan Rebuenog 68
49.64%
2nd Lost

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Staff, Variety News. "Editorials | What's in a name". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  3. ^ Dandan, Zaldy. "Variations | If you're keeping score". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  4. ^ Sebastian, Stefan (2008-08-12). "Villagomez, 3 others indicted". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  5. ^ "Saipan Tribune". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  6. ^ "Villagomez resigns". Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  7. ^ "Covenant, GOP to merge", Saipan Tribune, 2010-12-10 Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Center, Pacific News (2010-12-12). "CNMI's GOP Cautious About Proposed Merger With Covenant Party". PNC News First. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ a b Staff, Variety News. "BREAKING NEWS: Inos, Covenant Party endorse Kilili". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ a b Erediano, Emmanuel T. "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.
  14. ^ "Lee Pan wants to be next Saipan mayor". Saipan Tribune. 2021-04-06. Retrieved 2021-12-19.