An exciting four-way race?

Former Lt. Governor Jesse Borja recently indicated that he may run for governor next year. If Mr. Borja does decide to run, the CNMI could have as much as four candidates competing for the much coveted executive position: Lt. Governor Jesus R. Sablan (“Peppero”), Juan Nekai Babauta, Froilan C. Tenorio, along with Mr. Borja himself.

Former Governor Froilan Tenorio will, of course, run under his new “Reform Party” banner. Both Lt. Governor Jesus R. Sablan and Resident Representative Juan Babauta are rival “Republicans.” Mr. Borja may run as a Democrat or go “Independent,” as before.

If Juan Nekai Babauta loses to Lt. Governor Jesus R. Sablan in the Republican primary, there is still a chance that Mr. Babauta may run anyway, possibly as another “Independent.” Mr. Babauta has already waited far too long to become governor. He stepped aside for Teno in the last election. Now is his chance to fulfill his ardent ambition.

Which candidate has the best chance to become our next governor? Which candidate should be our next governor?

Jesse Borja placed third in the last (three-way) gubernatorial election. He could not even defeat Froilan Tenorio, which no doubt irked the Borja camp no end.

Still, Borja’s support remains formidable with the liberal mainland American crowd. Ken Govendo is one of his biggest supporters. OIA Field Rep. Jeff Schorr even attended one of Mr. Borja’s pocket meetings.

I have a strong suspicion that Borja was the unofficial Interior Department, Office of Insular Affairs candidate. He openly supported a federalized minimum wage (but not immigration), and expressed some hostility against our much maligned garment industry, as well as toward businesses (economic growth and development) in general.

Borja is certainly no avowed champion of free markets, individual rights, and limited government. He is, in my opinion, just another well educated liberal Democrat, with some tendencies toward socialism. He called for “sustainable development” and suggested that businesses pay their “fair share” for development (read, higher fees and taxes for a slumping economy).

Juan Babauta does not appear to be that much different from Mr. Borja. Borja and Babauta are essentially liberal democrats with a questionable commitment to free market economics. Like Borja, Babauta openly supported the federalization of our minimum wage at one point. Except Babauta may have gone a step further by embracing U.S. immigration as well. (Now Babauta supports complete self-government–now that he is running for governor, that is.)

Lt. Governor Sablan will inherit the legacy of the Teno administration: the austerity measures, the failed 902 talks, the labor moratorium, the three-year limit, the onerous health regulations, the new CNMI Labor and Immigration, the sluggish economy–the first ratified federal takeover vote in the US Senate. Mr. Sablan strikes me as more of a political moderate. He has always opposed the federal takeover. He seems to understand business and the private sector. But he voted for the Foreign Investment Act and its $100,000 “security” deposit when he was in the Senate.

Froilan Tenorio is good on business. He is good on the federal takeover. But he spends too much government money. In this sense, he is bad on limited government. He is plagued by lawsuits for overspending. He has Chico Hiraga and other scandals still hanging around his neck. He hired too many expensive consultants. He may have awarded his next of kin too many engineering contracts. He sometimes ran the government like it personally belonged to him. Froilan clearly has some liabilities.

Although we may already have a four-way race, I still wish we had more choices. Would Mr. Ben Fitial please run for Governor?