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Babauta: Next mid-term polls critical
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Posted on Nov 12 2006
Next year’s midterm election is critical as it will reflect the job of the current administration, according to former Gov. Juan N. Babauta.
Babauta, who lost his re-election bid last year, said the midterm election will be crucial to all the political parties, particularly the Republican Party, which hopes to present a more united front and take leadership of the Legislature in 2007.
“It is now obvious that the Covenant Party is unable and utterly inept in turning this economy around. A lot of people are suffering,” Babauta said in an interview after the Republican Party’s general membership meeting last week.
He also said that the Republican Party would continue to pursue the education agenda.
“We are going to keep education the priority for this community. Any government shouldn’t keep its eyes off of education. It is the demise of any community to set education aside,” he said.
Asked about his election plans, he replied, “I’m just here to support the party.”
The Republican Party joined the 2005 election divided between the camps of Babauta and former House Speaker Heinz Hofschneider, who ran as an independent candidate. Hofschneider lost by 99 votes to Covenant Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, who grabbed 28.07 percent of the votes. Babauta ended third with 100 votes less than what Hofschneider got.
Seeking to reunite, the Republican Party held a general membership meeting Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006. Some 100 members showed up and both the camps of Babauta and Hofschneider were represented. The purpose of the meeting was to elect a new set of party officers, in preparation for next year’s election. But arguments marred the reunification effort and the election was postponed to a later date.
