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Calvo joins race for delegate seat in Congress
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Posted on Jun 10 2008
A local businessman is the latest to join the delegate race.
Patrick M. Calvo said he will run for the U.S. Congress as an independent candidate. This is his first time to run for elected office.
Calvo is the owner of Calvo’s Nursery and Landscaping and Island Farmers Market. He is also the current president of the Saipan Rotary Club.
He said he decided to seek the federal post after receiving a considerable amount of support and encouragement from family, friends, and associates on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
“We’re in a critical juncture in our development [as a Commonwealth]. And I think I have the skills, qualifications, and experience necessary to take a fresh look at the challenges we’re facing as a community,” Calvo said.
His campaign, he added, will focus on “establishing hope in the future … on looking at where we could be, rather where we are.”
He said he consider it his advantage to have close links to the people on all of the three main islands in the Commonwealth. His family is originally from Rota, he grew up and spent most of his life on Saipan, and he has business interests on Tinian.
“I don’t come from just one island. I am from the Commonwealth. I have intimate experience with the struggles of our people. I think that quality that I have will resonate in the policies that I will carry as the CNMI’s representative in Washington,” Calvo said.
Calvo’s career began at the Hyatt Regency Saipan, where he worked for five years first as training manager and then as human resource manager. After that, he started his agriculture business.
He has been active in various community efforts. He has led a labor training agency that is the precursor of the Workforce Investment Agency. He has served as chairman of the Soil and Water Conservation District, with the Kagman watershed project coming into fruition during his leadership.
Calvo will face six at least six other candidates: Resident Rep. Pete A. Tenorio, Sen. Luis P. Crisostimo, Rep. Ray N. Yumul, retired Judge Juan T. Lizama, and Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Gregorio Sablan.
