Former Vice President Joe Biden won the Guam Democratic caucus Saturday, according to preliminary results.
Biden received 270 votes (70 percent) against Bernie Sanders' 118 votes (30 percent).
Sanders dropped out of the presidential race on April 8.
The Democratic Party of Guam also held a special election (via drive-through voting) at the Adelup Breezeway.
Sarah Thomas Nededog was elected the party's chair.
Guam democrats elected seven at-large delegates for the upcoming 2020 Democratic National Convention to be held on Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Democratic Party of Guam said results will be certified next week.
Political analysts predict Biden has enough delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination.
"Biden has been the presumptive Democratic nominee since April, when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the primary," CNN reported "His electoral victory in Guam on Saturday allowed him to surpass the necessary 1,991 delegates to claim the nomination on the first ballot of the party’s convention."
“A little more than three months ago I stood on stage in South Carolina and told the American people that ours was a campaign for everyone who has been knocked down, counted out, and left behind. Those words take on an ever greater resonance today, at a time when so many Americans are hurting and have suffered so much loss,” CNN quoted Biden as saying.
“So many feel knocked down by the public health and economic crisis we are weathering. So many feel counted out and left behind by a society that has for too long viewed them as less than equal, their lives as less than precious.”
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While Guam voters do not get to vote in the nation's general elections, Democrats participate in the presidential primary process.
Guam will send a total of 13 delegates to the convention. The delegation will include the party chair, party vice-chair, national committeeman and national committeewoman, Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero, Congressman Michael San Nicolas and seven at-large delegates.
“Given that the social distancing requirements still in effect because of the Covid-19 public health emergency, given that the presidential race has been effectively determined when the party is arrived at former Vice President Joe Biden as the party’s nominee,” said paty member Tyrone Taitano.
“Since Biden has arrived as the party’s presumptive nominee as president of the United States, I am pleasantly surprised by the turnout for the Guam Democratic Caucus. I think it reflects a great deal of enthusiasm among democrats and independents for the message of the democratic party and issues that the democratic party stands for.”
Taitano is optimistic that the delegates will do well for the island.
“Obviously they’ll go to convention and do the most important part which is participate in the selection of the party’s nominee of president and vice president. This is a great deal of significance for us here as a territory because being a territory we have no seats in the electoral college,” Taitano said. “So we will not be participating in the general election in November to select the president and vice president. This is our one shot at getting our voice heard in the process."
The Guam delegation, Taitano added, will pursue issues of particular interest to Guam and the territories.
"So that will be part of their task as well. And to promote awareness about Guam, given that a good part of the country doesn’t know a lot about us.”
The new democratic delegates are thankful for the people showing up to vote for the caucus. “This is the first time I’ve ever ran for anything,” said new delegate Cathy Flores.
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“From the get go, we’re talking 8am, there were already cars in line. That set the pace for the afternoon. It was continuous car movement. I’m elated. I’m excited. I want to say thank you to my family and friend. Biba Democrats! “I’m very pleased and very happy. All my family and friends came out,” said Michael Weakly, new delegate. “I felt good and confident. My goal is to make sure me supporting a presidential candidate, that we get our voices heard, especially from Guam. We want to make sure we get included—that our desires and goals get included in the national platform.”
Preliminary results are as follows: Biden delegates include Cathy Flores, Tina Muna-Barnes, Regine Biscoe Lee, Mike Weakley, Clifford Guzman and Beverly Borja (alternate). Sanders delegates are Julian Janssen, Rikki Orsini and Antonio Azios (alternate)
The Guam caucus was originally scheduled to take place on May 2 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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