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Democratic slate hangs fire
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Posted on Feb 10 2005
The Democratic Party has yet to select a standard bearer as its scheduled meeting on Wednesday was postponed due to lack of quorum.
Three members of the party’s central executive committee failed to show up at the meeting, which had been set to start at 6pm at the party’s headquarters in Garapan. The meeting was rescheduled for tonight.
Vying for the party’s endorsement in this year’s gubernatorial elections are former governor Froilan C. Tenorio and Senator Luis Crisostimo.
Tenorio wants to seek election with former Retirement Fund chair Vicente Camacho as his vice governor. Crisostimo, for his part, has yet to name a running mate, a matter seen by some party members as a violation of the group’s bylaws regarding the submission of letter of intent.
Democratic Party rules require that candidates for governor name a running mate, who must submit a separate letter of intent to the chair of the central executive committee.
The deadline for submission of letters of intent ended on Feb. 1.
Crisostimo is also believed to have violated another party policy by failing to pay a $1,500 candidacy fee. Under the Democratic Party’s rules, all declarations/letters for candidacy “must be accompanied by a check for the filing/primary fee in order to be accepted.”
At least one Democratic Party member, who asked not be named, also raised concern about the fact that Crisostimo has served only one year in his current post.
Crisostimo assumed office as a senator in January 2004. It was the first position he has occupied as an elected official.
“When he was elected senator, he took an oath that he will be representing the Saipan senatorial district for four years. It’s been only one year and he already wants to run for a higher position. It’s like trying to enter 11th grade when you haven’t even finished 10th grade,” the party member said.
