Colonel William A. Phillips

The CNMI Republican Party is a political party in the Northern Mariana Islands. The Northern Mariana Islands Republican Party is now associated with the United States Republican Party though no Northern Mariana Islands politicians have achieved high-ranking positions in the mainland United States.

History

In the 2001 gubernatorial election Juan Babauta of the Republican Party won with 42.8% of the vote. At the legislative elections of November 1, 2003 the party won 7 out of 18 seats in the House of Representatives.

In 2004, the CNMI Republican party gained recognition on the island of Tinian.[1] At the gubernatorial elections of November 6, 2005, Governor Juan Babauta was defeated, receiving 26% of the vote and third place. In the 2005 legislative elections held concurrently, the Republicans took 7 of 18 seats in the House of Representatives and 3 of 9 seats in the Senate. In the November 3, 2007 Commonwealth Legislature elections, the party took 12 of 20 seats in the House of Representatives, giving them a strong majority.

Before the 2020 general elections, the CNMI Republican Party was significantly stronger than the CNMI Democratic Party, which had not been represented in the legislature from 2010 to 2020, winning their last seat in the 2007 general elections.[2] In the 2000s, the conservative Covenant Party, a local splinter of the Republican Party, became the main competitor for the Republican Party on the islands. In 2003, the Covenant Party managed to gain half of the seats in the CNMI House of Representatives and one-third of the senate, both of which resulted in a plurality victory over both the Republicans and the Democrats.[3][4] While Covenant would lose their plurality in the Legislature in 2005, they managed to defeat Republican incumbent Juan Babauta in the general elections and would retain that victory in the 2009 general elections.[5] In 2013, the governor, Eloy S. Inos, switched party affiliation from the Covenant Party to the Republican Party, thus making the governorship controlled by the Republican Party.[6] This marked the final days of the Covenant Party as it officially dissolved in 2013, merging with the Republicans, leaving the GOP to remain unchallenged with the exception of independents candidates until the resurgence of the Democratic Party in 2020. In 2014, Senator Frank M. Borja reported that the GOP on Tinian was in disarray because most islanders were affiliated with the party.[7]

Positions

The CNMI Republican administration has stated that it does not want to get involved in national US debates on subjects such as immigration because of the CNMI's unique situation in United States politics.[8] Despite their position on national politics, the Republican-controlled CNMI government—which had a super-majority in the House and Senate in 2016—attempted to push for gun bans. When the gun ban was found unconstitutional, the CNMI government pushed for a $1000 excise tax, which was also found unconstitutional.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Republican Party gets Commonwealth-wide recognition". Saipan Tribune. July 28, 2004. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  2. ^ Staff, Variety News (2020-11-03). "NMI Democrats win 8 House seats, Saipan Senate race". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  3. ^ Staff, Variety News (2002-06-13). "Tenorio returns to Democratic Party". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  4. ^ "Flashback November 03, 2000-2003". Saipan Tribune. 2006-11-03. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  5. ^ Staff, Variety News (2012-09-14). "Variations: The price of hubris". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  6. ^ "VIDEO: CNMI Governor Eloy Inos Returns to GOP Fold". PNC Saipan Correspondent Mark Rabago. 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  7. ^ Erediano, Emmanuel T. (March 13, 2014). "Borja says he'll reorganize Tinian GOP". Marianas Variety. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  8. ^ Willhermosa, Cherrie Anne E. (March 29, 2016). "Local GOP doesn't want to be involved in national debates". Marianas Variety. Archived from the original on September 16, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  9. ^ |url=https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/10/02/federal-judge-shoots-down-cnmi-gun-restrictions/91311216/

External links