Leevin Camacho, who emerged as the most popular candidate for attorney general during the Aug. 25 primary, is likely to face a more challenging fight along the campaign trail toward the general election. His opponent, former Attorney General Douglas Moylan, has tapped Gary Frank Gumataotao to be his campaign manager.
Moylan acknowledged he is facing an uphill battle with Camacho, who clinched nearly 50 percent of the votes in the primary. The former attorney general received 7,915 (26.79 percent), while Gumataotao, ranked third third and thus eliminated, with 7,260 (24.57) votes. The tide would turn against Camacho if the combined forces of Moylan and Gumataotao would translate to actual votes on Nov. 6.
“It is with humility and respect to those who supported Gary's candidacy for AG that I announce that candidate Gary (Frank) W.F. Gumataotao has agreed to be my campaign chairperson for my campaign to be Guam's next elected Attorney General,” Moylan said in a statement.
Moylan, Guam’s first elected attorney general, served from 2002 to 2006. He ran for reelection but lost to Alicia Limtiaco.
Moylan said he has filed his amended campaign “Organization Report" with the Guam Election Commission on Wednesday.
“I assure those who voted for Gary, that a vote for Douglas Moylan will bring to the AG's Office a unified “Moylan - Gumataotao vision” and New Era of how that office will better-suit your needs and perform. Those who use the AG's Office will receive better and more efficient services, and other government officials can rest assured that the AG’s Office will support a government of Guam that serves you,” Moylan said.
Moylan promises to: increase the amount in child support collections; we promote a sustainable military buildup; we prosecute corrupt government officials without influence by any gubernatorial administration; we protect women and children against sex crimes; and we deport criminals.
“We shall set performance standards you can expect to occur within the first 100 days & will work, hand-in- hand with the governor and each senator to help them for the benefit all of our quality of life,” Moylan said. “We reach out to both those who voted for Gary, but also ask those of you who may have voted for Leevin to reconsider an AG's Office with the ideas and performance standards that you heard both of us (Moylan & Gumataotao) speak about in the months leading up to the Aug. 25 primary election.”
A young lawyer, Camacho is known for his cultural and social activism. He is one of the founders of We Are Guahan, a group of young activists opposing the military buildup p Guam.
Camacho, who is engaged in private law practice, is also involved with the Save Southern Guam, a movement that opposed the construction of a controversial multimillion hotel project in Pago Bay.
The protest resulted in the Guam Land Use Commission’s revocation of permits issued to the project developer. “The members of Save Southern Guam have shown what can happen when a group of ordinary people come together in the face of overwhelming odds and demand accountability from our government,” Camacho said. “They have been powered by the idea that everyone, whether a private citizen or corporation, must play by the same rules. Through their patience and perseverance over the past two years, they've notched a win for the community and the entire island of Guam.”