Familiar names, new faces at Guam's legislative race
- Admin
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Guamanians will head to the polling stations on Aug. 1 for partisan primaries, leading to the Nov. 3 general elections that will shape the battle for control of the 39th Guam Legislature.
Republicans, who hold a majority in the 38th Guam Legislature, hope to defend the two seats being relinquished by Speaker Frank Blas Jr. and Vice Speaker Tony Ada to retain the party’s command of the next chamber.
Blas and Ada are seeking the Republican nomination for governor. Blas is running with Mary Okada, the former president of Guam Community College, while Ada has teamed up with businessman E.J. Calvo.
Incumbent Republicans seeking reelection are Sens. Vince Borja, Shelly Calvo, Chris Duenas, Shawn Gumataotao, Jesse Lujan, Sabrina Matanane and Telo Taitague.
With only two remaining Democrats seeking reelection—Sens. William Parkinson and Chris Barnett—the people’s party faces an uphill battle to flip the switch.
Four strong Democrats have abandoned bids for reelection to seek the top political posts in Adelup. Sen. Therese Terlaje is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, with Sen. Sabina Perez as her running mate for lieutenant governor. Sen. Joe San Agustin is running with former Sen. Dwayne San Nicolas, while Sen. Tina Muna Barnes is running for lieutenant governor, with Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio, making it a three-way race for the Democratic nomination.
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Along with the reelection campaigners, the crowded primary race for the legislature sees old-timers attempting a comeback and more than a dozen new faces hoping to join the ranks of the 39th Guam Legislature.
A total of 36 candidates—18 Democrats and 18 Republicans—are on the primary ballot for the legislature. Voters will nominate 15 from each camp.
Former Republican senators hoping to return are Louisa Borja and Wil Castro. Former Democratic senators back on the campaign trail are Telena Nelson, Roy Quinata, Amanda Shelton and Clynton Ridgel.
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New Republican candidates include Joseph Arriola, Gregorio Calvo, Alexander Duenas, Matteo Mortera, Jonathan Savares, Raffaele Sgambelluri, Hoa Nguyen and Brandon Vera.
In the Democratic camp, new candidates include Fred Bordallo Jr., Joaquin Cruz, David Duenas, Lillian Guerrero, Sarah Nededog, Kallen Perez, Donna Quinata, Angel Sablan, Angela Santos, Anthony Taijeron, Joaquin Taitague and Gerald Yingling. Some of the "new" candidates ran unsuccessful campaigns in previous elections, including Bordallo, Duenas, Nededog and Santos.
In the Republican primary for Congress, former Sen. Mary C. Torres is challenging the incumbent delegate, James Moylan. The Republican nominee will face the lone Democratic candidate, former Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco.
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