Torres supports King-Hinds to be GOP’s bet for delegate
Former governor Ralph DLG Torres disclosed Friday that he supports former Commonwealth Ports Authority board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds to be the NMI Republican Party’s bet for delegate to the U.S. Congress in this coming November election.
The NMI Republican Party has yet to decide when to hold a primary to determine who between King-Hinds and John Oliver Gonzales will be their candidate for delegate.
Torres said in an interview during the Republican Party’s caucus at the Garapan Central Park last week that King-Hinds, who is a lawyer, has a very good educational and professional background.
“She’s definitely a leader,” the former governor said.
He said he worked with King-Hinds when she was the CPA board chair—“she took CPA to a whole new level”—and she had a very good relationship with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Torres said King-Hinds has passion for taking care of the community, whether people on Rota, Tinian, or Saipan.
“She is an advocate of our community, our culture. She’s a strong woman with leadership skills,” Torres said.
Altogether, King-Hinds is a hard worker who does not shy away or back down from any hard work, he added.
“I’d seen her go toe to toe with DOD [Department of Defense], the best lawyers in the country. Yet she never backed down,” said Torres, adding that King-Hinds knows the importance of fighting for the people of the Commonwealth.
The former governor was referring to King-Hinds’ fight against DOD to stop them from using Tinian and Pagan for bombing practice. The lawyer also served as the Commonwealth’s lead negotiator for the divert airfield lease agreement between DOD and the CNMI.
Torres said King-Hinds was an integral part of the CNMI’s success during arguments, debates, and discussions with DOD.
“She fights for the people of the Commonwealth. She’s the best fighter that we have. And I’m proud to support her,” Torres said.
“Just look at the way she presents or the way she argues things. She makes us proud, put it that way,” he added.
Former governor Ralph DLG Torres hugs former Commonwealth Ports Authority board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds during the latter’s official announcement of her decision to run for office under the NMI Republican Party as the CNMI’s delegate for the U.S. House of Representatives, at the Marianas Business Plaza in Susupe last Feb. 29.
-FERDIE DE LA TORRE
