The Covenant Party was a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The party was founded in 2001, splitting from the Republican Party and was dissolved in 2013, with the party merging back into the Republican Party. The party advocated for governmental and financial reform.
History
2001–2008 The party was named after the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, Act of Mar. 24, 1976, Pub. L. 94-241, 90 Stat. 263, codified as amended at 48 U.S.C. § 1801 note.
In the 2003 general election, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. The party mostly made up of members from the Republican Party, but many prominent Democrats would also join the party.
In the 2005 general elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the strongest parties in the Commonwealth when Benigno R. Fitial, the party's gubernatorial candidate, won the election. The Covenant Party won seven of eighteen seats in the commonwealth's House of Representatives and three of nine seats in its Senate.
In the 2007 general election, the Covenant Party won only four of twenty seats in the House of Representatives. The party maintained three seats in senate.
Scandal In August 2008, Villagomez was indicted on felony charges relating to the misuse of government funds. On April 24, 2009, he was found guilty along with former Commerce Secretary James A. Santos and his wife Joaquina V. Santos (Villagomez's sister) relating to a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. through needless purchases of a de-scaling chemical called Rydlyme. Awaiting sentencing on July 28, 2009, Villagomez tendered his resignation on April 24.
2009–2013 In December 2010, Governor Benigno Fitial proposed that the Covenant Party merge with the Republican Party."Covenant, GOP to merge", Saipan Tribune, 2010-12-10 Republican and Covenant Party leaders rejected the proposal, and the Covenant Party contested the 2012 general elections. Governor Benigno Fitial would leave the Covenant Party and rejoin the Republican Party, passing leadership to Eloy Inos. In 2012, the Covenant Party endorsed then-independent Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan whom Benigno Fitial wanted replaced with a Republican in the 2012 elections.
In September 2013, Governor Eloy Inos again tried to merge the Covenant Party with the Republican Party. The party is considered dissolved when Inos departed the party and rejoined the Republican Party in 2013. Many left the party soon after, most moving to the Republican Party, making it a Republican Party absorption of the Covenant Party. On August 19, 2021, during an interview on the 2022 gubernatorial election, Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios mentioned that the Republican Party did vote to approve the merger in 2013.
Electoral history
CNMI Gubernatorial elections
Year Nominees First Round Second Round Result Governor Lieutenant Governor Votes Percentage Placement Votes Percentage Placement 2001 Rita Hocog Inos 2,963 2nd N/A Run-off voting was not implemented yet Lost 2005 3,766 1st N/A Run-off voting was not implemented yet Won 2009 4,892 2nd 6,610 1st N/A Won
CNMI Delegate election
Year Candidate Votes Percentage Placement Result 2010 Joseph James Norita Camacho 2,744 2nd Lost
CNMI Territorial Senate elections
Year District Candidate Votes Percentage Placement Result 2005 Rota 1st Senatorial District (2 seats) Felix Taisacan Mendiola 634 1st Won Paterno Songao Hocog 599 3rd Lost Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) Joseph Masga Mendiola 583 1st Won Joaquin Hoashi Borja 512 4th Lost Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) Claudio Kotomar Norita 4,270 3rd Lost 2007 Rota 1st Senatorial District (1 seat) Crispin Manglona Ogo 491 2nd Lost Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (1 seat) Henry Hofschneider San Nicolas 599 1st Won Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (1 seat) Ramon Santos Dela Cruz 1,384 4th Lost 2009 Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) Joaquin Hoashi Borja 564 3rd Lost Joseph Masga Mendiola (incumbent) 549 4th Lost Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) Jacinta Matagolai Kaipat 2,947 3rd Lost Ana Sablan Teregeyo 1,768 6th Lost 2012 Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (1 seat) Ana Sablan Teregeyo 1,225 4th Lost
CNMI Territorial House of Representatives elections
Year District Candidate Votes Percentage Placement Result 2005 District 1: Saipan (6 seats) Jacinta Matagolai Kaipat 1,891 6th Won Jesus Camacho Muna 1,334 11th Lost Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog 1,330 12th Lost Juan Cepeda Deleon Guerrero 1,318 13th Lost Herman Pangelinan Sablan 1,005 14th Lost District 2: Saipan (2 seats) Oscar Manglona Babauta 600 1st Won Jesus San Nicolas Lizama 463 2nd Won District 3: Saipan & Northern Islands (6 seats) Francisco Santos Dela Cruz 1,118 4th Won Absalon Victor, Jr. Waki 999 6th Won Melvin Larence Odoshi Faisao 964 7th Lost Henry Kaipat Rabauliman 941 8th Lost Howard Iglecias Macaranas 917 9th Lost District 4: Saipan (2 seats) Gonzalo Quitugua Santos 625 3rd Lost District 5: Tinian (1 seat) Edwin Palacios Aldan 555 1st Won District 6: Rota (1 seat) Crispin Mangloña Ogo 833 1st Won 2007 District 1: Saipan (6 seats) Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog 678 10th Lost District 2: Saipan (2 seats) Oscar Manglona Babauta 383 1st Won Raymond Demapan Palacios 381 2nd Won District 3: Saipan (6 seats) Francisco "Frank" Santos Dela Cruz 1,109 6th Won David Reyes Maratita 915 8th Lost District 5: Saipan (2 seats) Ramon Sablan Basa 241 5th Lost Jesus Camacho Muna 186 8th Lost District 6: Tinian (1 seats) Edwin Palacios Aldan 547 1st Won 2009 District 1: Saipan (6 seats) Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio 1,671 2nd Won Vicente Camacho Cabrera 993 10th Lost Benjamin Matagolai Cepeda 918 11th Lost Antonia Manibusan Tudela 852 12th Lost Canice Kaipat Taitano 764 13th Lost District 2: Saipan (2 seats) Raymond Demapan Palacios (incumbent) 494 1st Won Rafael Sablan Demapan 381 2nd Won District 3: Saipan (6 seats) Felicidad Taman Ogumoro 1,140 4th Won Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez 1,079 5th Won Jesus Mareham Elameto 957 7th Lost David Reyes Maratita 901 8th Lost Henry Kaipat Rabauliman 864 10th Lost District 4: Saipan (2 seats) Sylvestre Ilo Iguel 618 2nd Won Thomas Jesus Camacho 480 4th Lost District 5: Saipan (2 seats) Ramon Sablan Basa 664 2nd Won Daniel Ogo Quitugua 409 6th Lost District 6: Tinian (1 seat) Edwin Palacios Aldan (incumbent) 550 2nd Lost 2012 District 1: Saipan (6 seats) Martin Cabrera Sablan 1,060 7th Lost District 2: Saipan (2 seats) John Paul Palacios Sablan 547 1st Won Rafael Sablan Demapan (incumbent) 521 2nd Won District 2: Saipan (2 seats) Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez (incumbent) 963 4th Won Brian Ayuyu Torres 362 16th Lost District 4: Saipan (2 seats) Christopher Duenas Leon Guerrero 639 1st Won
CNMI Mayoral elections
Year District Candidate Votes Percentage Placement Result 2005 Mayor - Saipan Juan Borja Tudela 3,786 1st Won Mayor - Tinian and Aguiguan Jose Pangelinan Borja San Nicolas 560 1st Won Mayor - Rota Joseph Songao Inos 511 1st Won 2009 Mayor - Tinian & Aquiguan Jose Pangelinan Borja San Nicolas (incumbent) 565 2nd Lost Mayor - Northern Islands Ramona Taisakan Rebuenog 68 2nd Lost
References