Political Analysis

By now, most Republicans know who to check-off in the November. 4th GOP Primary slated for next weekend: Pepero-Kiyu or Babauta-Benavente.

From one end of the inhabited islands of this archipelago, GOPers have made up their minds which tandem is (a personal choice now) best to serve as the standard bearer of the GOP banner.

The PK tandem have worked the villages between Saipan, Tinian and Rota both at the personal and impersonal levels.

The same has also been undertaken by the BB team–walking the villages hoping to catch as many voters as they can. They haven’t attained much inroads on Tinian while Rota seems a toss-up. It’s a warfare between the Manglonas: Paul vs. Uncle Benjamin.

If Paul prevails, then that should serve as an omen of an impending long drought season for his uncle or the end of a dynasty they have surfing the pinnacle of political success of nearly 30 years..

Both Pepero and Babauta have done well in Marianas-wide elections. It’s now a matter of who has been able to connect with voters in all three major islands.

The Pepero tandem often runs into trouble on Rota for some strange reasons. Babauta has his own set of problems for vacillating on the controversial federal takeover issue. This is further envenomed by his running mate’s announced position to lobby against CIP funds for the two smaller islands in the US Congress.

The undercurrent seems to give the Pepero` tandem the edge. It remains a guarded edge until the last ballot is tallied come Saturday night, Nov. 4th. It makes it mandatory that this group puts up its guard 48 hours a day. Babauta, after all, is a formidable Marianas-wide candidate.

There are intra-party rifts too long before the GOP primary became the order of business. It’s basically an agenda of “get even” time against both tandems between and among supporters. But it seems the BB team is the recipient of a greater setback for loose their loose tongues and ill-fated decisions in two previous primaries.

Babauta has that adroit sense of burning his bridges with GOPers’ political giants from Teno` to former Governor Guerrero. The cuts and bruises may heal, but the scar of arrogance will forever be visible in the naked eyes of the Teno` and Guerrero families. Perhaps this is Babauta’s greatest nightmare!

Both gentlemen (Pepero and Babauta) are known in the Northern Marianas Community. For many, however, it’s what they know of Babauta that they find very unsettling, if not, troubling!

Would the losing tandem extend the olive branch after the primary? The answer may be a resounding “yes!” It looks good on paper but far removed from reality. What these politicians forget is that their armies would have suffered injuries beyond slick public relations stunt in the newspapers. Many would march elsewhere if anything but to get, well, “even”.

Why the apparent edge in the PK tandem? While the top guns are about even Marianas-wide, Senator Kiyu has proven himself a vote-getter for two terms on an island-wide basis. Rep. Diego Benavente fell by the wayside in his first bid for public office from Precinct II. He eventually won, but then Precinct II is the smallest of them all. So he really won’t be able to add positively to their bid.

Then there’s the Tenorio filial divide that no longer march in unison. Benavente knows full well that Pepero` is his Uncle Pete’s lieutenant governor. Why put his uncle under the gun as to even divide a once very closely knit family? It’s a musical note that plays flat when it should be a full note!

Like any competition, there’s only a single winner and that issue would be resolved next week on Saturday when the last ballots are counted. May the best team win!