San Nicolas eyeing comeback in 2024 congressional election, dismisses talks of run with “friend” Tenorio

Michael San Nicolas might be asking the people of Guam to send him back to the U.S. House of Representatives in the upcoming 2024 elections. The former delegate and senator revealed his intentions in an interview with Kandit that was in response to overtures for reconciliation Joshua Tenorio made in a previous interview regarding his run for governor.

“Personally I do not believe there is anything that needs to be ‘reconciled’ between Josh and I – we have always been and continue to be friends,” Mr. San Nicolas said.

Following his loss to Lou Leon Guerrero in 2022, Mr. San Nicolas has written a few times about his disappointment in the governor for her personal attacks against him and his family during the primary election that year. The former congressman has rarely criticized Mr. Tenorio, who earlier this month announced his run for governor in 2026.

“In particular I am grateful that he personally did not engage in the dirty politics that was targeted towards myself, my family, my running mate [Sabrina Salas Matanane], and my team, and that will always be remembered,” Mr. San Nicolas said.

“When we look back at competitors, or opponents, you have to really try and know there might be a future where you can work together,” Mr. Tenorio said in his December 8 interview with Kandit. “For example, Mike San Nicolas was a good friend of mine and then we became competitors. But I know he still has more to offer Guam. Why would you not set your differences aside so you can move forward?”

The context of this part of the interview flowed from a discussion about who his running mate may be in 2026, and a statement he made that some of his advisors want him to consider someone who has not always aligned politically with the current administration.

“The lieutenant governor has never discussed with me the prospects of running with him [in the gubernatorial race], nor I with him,” Mr, San Nicolas confirmed, shifting the focus instead to the shortcomings of Guam’s current representative in Congress, James Moylan:

“However, my focus lately has been on the serious setbacks we are surprisingly suffering from today federally, in particular the failure of the House to support radiation compensation exposure in the very committee Guam is currently sitting, as well as losing Compact Impact on the only other committee Guam currently sits.”

Mr. San Nicolas was referring to a congressional conference committee’s erasure of Guam in its reconciliation of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, along with a first-ever failure by a congressman to secure annual compact impact funding. It was House panelists on the conference committee from the House Armed Services Committee that excluded Guam from RECA, and compact impact funding is pushed by the House Natural Resources Committee. Mr. Moylan is a member of both committees, as well as a member of the ruling majority party.

“All this, on top of Guam signing off willingly giving away potentially billions in Pacific Deterrance Initiative projects, and we are set to realize the worst Congressional tenure in our islands history. That is very very concerning,” Mr. San Nicolas said.

Because of these concerns, he said, Mr. San Nicolas is “actively exploring a candidacy to return to Congress and get us back on track.”

Mr. San Nicolas was the delegate who closed the books on a number of legacy issues – problems the people and government of Guam were seeking federal solutions for decades – and who managed to secure billions in funding for Guam during the pandemic.

“I know Mike San Nicolas can still help our island,” Mr. Tenorio said. “If he makes a decision to run for Congress and win, I know we can work collaboratively for our people.”

“Guam doesn’t need dirty politics anymore than she needs photoshop politics,” Mr. San Nicolas said. “We need outcome driven service and that is something we will always bring and always support, as I am sure Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio feels as well.”