Editorial by Troy Torres, Kandit News & Views
What will the Democratic Party of Guam do about next year’s gubernatorial election if Joshua Tenorio – the heir apparent – is implicated by a federal corruption indictment that is creeping around the corner? It’s a tough question for Democrats to ponder on so many levels.
Their most popular Democrat – Therese Terlaje – is 1) rumored to be more interested in running for attorney general, 2) unlikely to win over incumbent and term-limited Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and her army of supporters, and 3) likely unable to raise the kind of money needed to win a governor’s race.
That’s why – since whispers of Mr. Tenorio’s impending legal troubles surfaced – Republicans have been foaming at the mouth at 2026 prospects. Businessman Charlie Hermosa was the first (and only) Republican to throw his hat into the ring. But that quickly followed with some very public movements by Tony Ada and Frank Blas, both rumored to be running for governor. (Side note: Wouldn’t it be interesting if one of them capitulated, and we got an Ada-Blas, or Blas-Ada team?)
On Wednesday evening, right before we signed off in order to celebrate the Paschal Triduum with the solemnity the Lord deserves, we posted the circulating photo of a meeting between Mr. Ada and businessman Paul Calvo, Jr., whom some Republicans have been pushing to be the vice speaker’s running mate in next year’s election. It looks as though at least one part of the Calvo family is placing its bet on at least one gubernatorial team.
Blood in the water; that’s what people with political instincts have been smelling since “Pat” and “Tyler” dropped their corruption accusations against Mr. Tenorio and his sister, Charissa Tenorio. The accusations shedded light onto an FBI investigation involving the Tenorios, that has included an August 18, 2024 raid followed by the seizure of bank records, and the suspicion of a second round of raids earlier this year.
A March 12, 2025 incident between Ms. Tenorio’s boyfriend Frankie Rosalin and seaport general manager (and governor’s campaign manager) Rory Respicio complicated the already fraught Democratic political arena. Mr. Rosalin has since been charged by the local grand jury, thanks to Attorney General Douglas Moylan, who also is rumored to be a Republican candidate for governor next year.
So, when a picture of Mr. Respicio and Tina Muna Barnes – another popular senator – started to circulate Thursday morning, we didn’t think much of it, except to perceive two old friends sharing a light moment.
There are no coincidences in politics. Rockstar popular Eddie Calvo lives by that. I need a little more convincing.
That came today, when some online literature commissioned by the Tenorios discussed the rift between the lieutenant governor and Mr. Respicio, and even mentioned the seaport manager running against his boss’ number two (not to be confused with homo sapien evacuation jargon). What makes the whole thing all the more intriguing is that this same group of people – all in the service of Joshua Tenorio – have been publicly bashing Governor Lou Leon Guerrero herself.
Oh how I wish to be a fly on the wall at Adelup this week, when the governor and lieutenant governor will be in the same vicinity for the first time in days!
And let’s not gloss over who is in that picture with Mr. Respicio. Alone, Rory Respicio is a formidable political opponent, among the savviest I have ever met, for sure. He comes from a Republican Dededo family, but built his life among Democrats. He was a favorite of former Governor Carl Gutierrez, and has kept the respect of Democratic pillar Madeleine Bordallo and the so-called BordalloCrats. He has never had an issue raising money for his campaigns, albeit senatorial runs are far less complicated and expensive as gubernatorial campaigns. This is without mentioning the respect he has built for having the courage to file that now infamous criminal complaint against Mr. Tenorio’s brother in law.
Enter Tina Muna Barnes, and the machine and money her family can bring to the table. Among them? Her nephew Derrick Muna Quinata, whom the Tenorios have targeted despite the work he did to get Lou & Josh elected… and re-elected.
If that picture could talk, I’m guessing it would say only three words. And two of them form a very popular expletive. The other word would be, “Josh.”
Republicans, Independents, and a Popular Democrat Smell Blood in Saipan
Just as Republicans and Democrats in Guam see opportunities unfolding with the incumbent heir apparent’s chances melting into implosion, Arnold Palacios’ political problems in Saipan are causing an avalanche of political organizing to crush him.
Several sources from all sides of the political spectrum have told Kandit that former Governor Ralph Torres has expressed his desire to run for governor. Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan is rumored to be his choice for running mate.
Mr. Torres’ running mate in their failed 2022 bid, former Senator Vinnie Sablan, also has made some public moves. So has Blas Jonathan Attao, long-time member of the House. Several sources at first discussed a political marriage between the two. Those same sources now say Mr. Attao wants to run for governor with Speaker Edmund Villagomez as his running mate.
The flurry of opposition organizing against the governor – like a war march from the Lord of the Rings – is destabilizing the political coalition of independents and Democrats that the people elected to deal with corruption, the government’s finances, and the economy.
And while Mr. Palacios has done the amazing work of stabilizing government finances from the deep red deficit spending of the Torres era, next to nothing has been done to change the culture of corruption, and the economy is in the pits. The same sources discussing Mr. Attao’s likely gubernatorial run also tell us Lieutenant Governor David Apatang will not be running for re-election if Mr. Palacios runs. Who will be the governor’s running mate? Will he even run? If he does run, there’s one faction of voters he won’t be able to count on: Democrats.
They’re actively pushing the CNMI’s most popularly elected former official to run for governor. That’s right. Former delegate Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan might be back in the mix. If he runs, many of the campaign resources the current governor, the former governor, and all three political “parties” have banked on, likely will be encumbered by him.
It’s a long time until November 2026. If there’s anything we should have learned from all these decades of biennial elections in in our islands is that anything is possible. Who knows? Maybe the federal government will hold off its indictments until after next year’s elections. The feds don’t care about our politics or our timelines; they generally care about the ripeness of a case. Such a scenario truly is Mr. Tenorio’s only hope of victory.
And between now and then, the CNMI economy can improve. All it would take in an economy as depressed as theirs is a small and sustainable boost in tourism from Japan or Korea, and the everyday people will feel the benefits. The governor can campaign to reelection on such a platform.
As for right now, though? Let’s just say the incumbents in both our territories should be counting their lucky stars that the election won’t be held this week.
