REPRESENTATIVE Joel Camacho on Friday formally tendered his resignation from the Republican Party and expressed his intent to run as an independent in next year’s election.
In his letter to acting party president Candace Celis, Camacho, who represents Precinct 4 in the 22nd House, also expressed his “appreciation for having been part of the party for the past two terms.”
However, he said, he believes that “at this juncture, it is in the best interest of my constituents of Precinct 4, that I venture as an independent candidate for the upcoming election.”
Camacho told Variety on Friday that he made his decision after consulting with his family and constituents in Precinct 4.
He said he will make a formal announcement this week. “This is very important to my family and my Precinct 4 constituents,” he added.
Former Speaker Oscar M. Babauta, the campaign chairman of Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, who is running for governor as an independent, said they are happy to welcome Camacho “with open arms.”
Palacios’ running mate, like him, is another former Republican: Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang.
Babauta said on behalf of the Arnold-David 2022 ticket, he wishes Camacho “all the best.”
Former Precinct 4 Rep. Chris Leon Guerrero, in a separate interview, said it is Camacho’s prerogative to run as an independent candidate.
He described Camacho as one of the intelligent members of the 22nd House.
Deleon Guerrero also said that it really doesn’t matter whether a candidate runs under what party “as long as he or she remains committed to serve his constituents because that is what really matters.”
Last month, Camacho’s fellow Republicans, Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao and Rep. Ralph Yumul of Precinct 3, and Rep. John Paul Sablan of Precinct 2, joined Palacios and Apatang in their announcement of their 2022 gubernatorial candidacy.
The GOP, which used to hold nine of the 20 House seats plus one independent ally, now has four members left in the House: House Minority Leader Angel A. Demapan, Rep. Roy Ada, Rep. Patrick San Nicolas and Rep. Joseph Leepan Guerrero, who is running for Saipan mayor. Independent Rep. Joseph Flores still caucuses with the GOP.
The Democrats, which won the recent Precinct 3 special election, now has nine members and two independent allies.
Joel Camacho
