Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) won the Democratic Party\u2019s caucus in the CNMI over former vice president Joe Biden Saturday night at the Saipan World Resort\u2019s Taga Ballroom.<\/p>\n
Sanders got 77 votes from Saipan, three from Tinian, and four from Rota, for a total of 84 votes.<\/p>\n
Biden received 40 votes from Saipan, zero from Tinian, and eight from Rota, for a total of 48 votes.<\/p>\n
There were a total of 134 participants, including two uncommitted from Saipan, or who did not pledge to a particular candidate.<\/p>\n
Nola Kileleman Hix, the Democratic Party of the NMI chairwoman, said in an interview Saturday that Sanders got 84 votes and was awarded four delegates, while Biden was awarded two delegates because he only got 48 votes.<\/p>\n
Democrats also elected six \u201cpledged delegates\u201d to the National Convention of the Democratic Party during the caucus, with simultaneous sub-caucuses held at the Northern Marianas College\u2019s VTC rooms on Tinian and Rota. <\/p>\n
The elected \u201cpledged candidates\u201d for Sanders were Christian Punzalan, Stephen C. Woodruff, Bertran Palacios, and one still to be decided. For Biden, elected were Ambrose M. Bennett and Maria Tenorio Camacho, with Eloise Rose Enrico Lopez as alternate.<\/p>\n
This means that the six delegates are pledged to support a particular candidate at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this July 13-16. The six \u201cpledged candidates\u201d and five automatic delegates will be going to the convention. <\/p>\n
The five automatic delegates are Hix, Democratic Party vice chair Daniel Quitugua, National Committeeman Michael White, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), and whoever will be elected as the National Committee woman.<\/p>\n
By rule, a presidential preference must get at least 15% of the total vote in order to be awarded at least one delegate, Hix said. <\/p>\n
Because there were exactly three names on the delegate selection form for Sanders, all three of them get to go to the convention, Hix said, adding that the three delegates need to get together as a delegation and decide who their fourth person will be. <\/p>\n
Three submitted their candidacies as part of the delegation for Sanders. They were Punzalan, Woodruff, and Palacios.<\/p>\n
Four submitted their candidacies as part of the delegation for Biden. They were Bennett, Indalecio, Camacho, and Lopez.<\/p>\n
Three submitted candidacies for uncommitted delegate preference. They were Pamela Brown-Blackburn, Joseph Hill, and Fran Castro.<\/p>\n
Hix said the caucus turned out great, considering the coronavirus outbreak and several different events on Saipan happening that same day, Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was hoping that there would be more people that showed up, but I\u2019m glad that people still came up. Otherwise I thought that we put on a really good show,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Hix said it definitely shows the people of the CNMI that there is a Democratic Party and if they\u2019re looking to align with the party\u2019s presidential candidates, this is their party. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m definitely hoping for a solid turnout come midterms. I know a lot of the locals here are more inclined to local politics than national politics,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Hix said with everything that\u2019s happening with austerity, she could see why they\u2019d rather just not participate at all. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo, you know, it is what it is. We had committed to hosting a caucus. It\u2019s our second caucus ever in the history of the CNMI. And I\u2019m really just proud that people showed up,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Hix said the next step is they wait to hear more from the Democratic National Convention because right now, there are caucuses and primaries that are being canceled throughout the U.S. <\/p>\n
Hix is optimistic that at the end of the day, whoever the nominee is going to be, that they\u2019re both going to work together to defeat President Donald Trump. <\/p>\n
She said she believes Biden\u2019s says a lot about uniting the country and bringing people together, whereas Sanders has solid policies with regards to Medicare-for-All, the Green New Deal and forgiveness of student debt that appeals to people of her age.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that they\u2019re both really good candidates. And I think that they could do a lot if they kind of just bring those ideas and those voters together,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Hix said the main goal is to reclaim the White House. \u201cThe worst we could do is nothing. And we did something tonight, so I\u2019m happy about that,\u201d said Hix about Saturday\u2019s caucus.<\/p>\n
Biden did not send a representative for the CNMI caucus. Sanders sent his representative\u2014Shannon Jackson, his campaign director in New Hampshire. <\/p>\n
Jackson said the caucus had a lot of youth coming out. \u201cWe had a lot of people from the Chamorro community. And it was just a wonderful, wonderful, overwhelming victory for us,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n
He said they won four delegates. <\/p>\n
\u201cTwo to one is pretty great,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n
Jackson thanked all the people of the islands, saying it\u2019s been such a pleasure getting to know them and being immersed in the community.<\/p>\n
Jackson said he felt welcomed and that he appreciates the islands; residents for opening themselves up to the campaign and embracing a lot of the ideals and morals of this campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it really resonated with the community and we\u2019re excited to take the spark and go from here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Daniel Quitugua, the Democratic Party of the NMI vice chair, said the turnout \u201cwas moderately good. We expected a little bit more but, like I said, considering what the current situation is with the health warning, the turnout is pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quitugua said the most important thing is that people came out and expressed their choice and that he respects the decision of the members at the caucus.<\/p>\n
Kaela Valencia, 21, a business student at the Northern Marianas College, was among the volunteers at the caucus. \u201cThe energy was really good there. Everyone\u2019s very excited to be there to vote,\u201d she said, adding that she voted for Sanders because of his policies.<\/p>\n
Valencia said as Sanders\u2019 representative Jackson stated at the caucus, his policies are for everyone, whether young or old, from immigrant families, from non-immigrant families, and from the LGBTQ community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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