Previous Story
At least 3 seek to run in special Senate election under the GOP
»Republican Party sets Sept. 12 deadline to submit letters of intent
Igisomar
At least three individuals, including Commerce Secretary and Lottery Commission chair Sixto Igisomar, have so far sought the Republican Party’s endorsement to become their official candidate to fill a Senate seat vacated by Ray Yumul. Two others are eyeing to run under the GOP, but the party has set a Sept. 12 deadline of 4pm to turn in all letters of intent for the Nov. 4 special election.
Besides Igisomar, GOP sources said the two others are Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board trustee Roy Rios and Steve Sablan. At least two more may be added to the list. Ivan Blanco of the Republican Party said Tuesday that the GOP board will decide on Sept. 15 who among the interested individuals will become the party’s official senatorial candidate. The selection would be through secret balloting.
“Due to requests by interested candidates, I am unable to share their names,” Blanco said. Igisomar, however, confirmed Tuesday his intention to run for the special election for a Saipan senatorial seat. “My intention and commitment to run is only if I run [under] the GOP and no other,” Igisomar said in his Sept. 9 letter to GOP president James Ada. Besides his current post as Department of Commerce secretary, Igisomar is also chairman of the Lottery Commission, which reviewed, negotiated, and granted an exclusive license to develop a $3.14-billion integrated casino resort on Saipan.
As Commerce secretary, Igisomar automatically assumed the positions of the CNMI insurance commissioner, banking director, and workers compensation commissioner. Igisomar has an extensive experience in both private and government sectors in the CNMI and U.S. mainland. He attended Northern Marianas College and Seattle University. He also served on the NMI Retirement Fund board of trustees, the Commonwealth Development Authority board of directors, the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. board, and the CNMI State Board Workers Investment Agency.
Gov. Eloy S. Inos set a Sept. 18 deadline to file with the Commonwealth Election Commission nomination petitions for the special election. The Commission has until Sept. 22 to act on the petitions filed. Robert A. Guerrero, executive director of the Commonwealth Election Commission, said yesterday that the commission board has tentatively set a Sept. 20, Saturday, meeting to certify the candidates for the special election. As of yesterday, no candidate has so far filed their petition with the commission.
