2018 Guamanian gubernatorial election

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2018 Guamanian gubernatorial election
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  Lou Leon Guerrero in 2018.jpeg Raymond S. Tenorio.jpg Frank Aguon at 2016 DOJ Event (cropped).jpg
Nominee Lou Leon Guerrero Ray Tenorio Frank Aguon
(write-in)
Party Democratic Republican Democratic
Running mate Josh Tenorio Tony Ada Alicia Limtiaco
Popular vote18,2589,4878,205
Percentage50.8%26.4%22.8%
Guam gubernatorial election, 2018.svg
Results by village
Guerrero:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Governor before election

Eddie Baza Calvo
Republican

Elected Governor

Lou Leon Guerrero
Democratic

The 2018 Guam gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Guam, concurrently with the election of Guam elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. [1]

Contents

Incumbent Republican Governor Eddie Baza Calvo, was term-limited and has ineligible to seek a third term in office.

Following a contested primaries on August 25, 2018, the Democratic Party nominated Lou Leon Guerrero, a former Bank of Guam CEO, territorial senator, and 1998 lieutenant gubernatorial candidate. She won the nomination over territorial senator Frank B. Aguon, who chose to run a write-in campaign in the general election. The Republican Party nominated lieutenant governor Ray Tenorio, who served under Calvo from 2011 to 2019. The campaign centered on issues including abortion rights in Guam, ethical matters, and the role of the tourism sector. [2] [3] Leon Guerrero won a 50.7% majority in the general election against Tenorio, who received 26.4%, and Aguon, whose write-in bid received 22.8%. She became the first female governor in Guamanian history and the first Democrat to win the Governorship of Guam since 1998.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

The Tenorio/Ada ticket was unopposed in the Republican primaries.

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican
3,148 97.98
Republican Write-ins652.02
Total votes3,213 100.0

Democratic primary

The following candidates have officially declared their bids to run in 2018 Gubernatorial Elections.

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic
8,218 32.14
Democratic
7,95831.12
Democratic
5,60921.94
Democratic
  • Dennis Rodriguez Jr.
  • David M. Cruz Jr.
3,76114.71
Democratic Write-ins220.09
Total votes25,568 100.0

General election

Campaign issues

Ethical issues

During the campaign, Republican nominee Ray Tenorio highlighted Leon Guerrero's tenure at the helm of the Bank of Guam, asking her if she would divest government money out of the bank if elected. Leon Guerrero's running mate, Josh Tenorio, accused the Republican nominee of having a conflict of interest issues regarding a pay increase bill. [2]

Social issues

Both candidates debated issues centered around Guam's status as a tourism economy, with Tenorio pledging to strengthen the territory's tourism sector, while Leon Guerrero emphasized public safety measures to protect both residents and tourists. [3]

On abortion, Leon Guerrero indicated her support for abortion rights in Guam, while Tenorio indicated he was opposed to legalizing abortion. [2]

"Birthplace" controversy surrounding race and ethnicity

During the election, Leon Guerrero faced criticism from opponents for her speech in which she noted she was "was born and raised here". [13] In a campaign stump speech, Leon Guerrero, of Chamorro background, stated "This is my island. I am from here, Ray. I was born and raised here, Ray ... and I am more qualified to be the governor of Guam." Republican nominee Ray Tenorio, who was born to a white family in Florida, criticized her remarks, asking "Does Lou really care about all Guamanians" in a campaign ad. [14] [2]

Jerry Crisostomo, the chair of the Republican Party of Guam accused Leon Guerrero's campaign of utilizing "racial undertones" in her campaign against Tenorio. Write-in Democratic candidate Frank Aguon, who lost to Leon Guerrero in the August primary, also criticized her remarks. [14] The Democratic Party of Guam rejected these criticisms, stating in a press release that "Ray Tenorio and his team are desperate and will grab at untruths and lies for their campaign". [2]

Some Guamian officials stood in Leon Guerrero's defense, including former Democratic senator Hope A. Cristobal. Cristobal argued that the criticism of Leon Guerrero's remarks fail to appreciate "the political nuances of indigenous CHamorus in a colonized homeland". Robert A. Underwood, former president of the University of Guam and Guam's former delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, stated he considers it "a stretch for the (Tenorio) team to say [Leon Guerrero] is racist or xenophobic". [14]

Results

The general elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Democratic candidate Lou Leon Guerrero garnered 18,081 votes against Ray Tenorio's 9,419 votes. Guam law requires gubernatorial candidates to attain more than 50% of the total votes to be elected governor. Leon Guerrero passed the necessary threshold by a razor-thin margin, winning the election with 50.7% of the vote against Tenorio's 26.41% and Aguon's 22.81%.

2018 Guam gubernatorial election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic
18,258 50.79% +14.82%
Republican
9,48726.39%-37.31%
Democratic
8,20522.82%+22.49%
Total votes35,950 100.0% N/A
Democratic gain from Republican

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References

  1. ↑ "For Voters". Guam Election Commission. February 9, 2018. Archived from the original on November 19, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Gilbert, Haidee Eugenio. "Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio, Bank of Guam President Lou Leon Guerrero square off in fiery 'Great Debate'". The Greenville News. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  3. 1 2 Gilbert, Haidee Eugenio. "Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio, Lou Leon Guerrero face off over tourism economy". The Greenville News. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  4. ↑ "Republican gubernatorial team Tenorio-Ada makes it official". Guampdn.com. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  5. ↑ "Aguon and Limtiaco launch gubernatorial campaign". Guampdn.com. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  6. ↑ "Lou Leon Guerrero to run for governor in 2018". Guampdn.com. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  7. ↑ "Lourdes Aflague Leon Guerrero". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  8. ↑ "Former Gov. Carl Gutierrez confirms run for governor". Guampdn.com. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  9. ↑ Delgado, Nick. "Gutierrez taps Fred Bordallo as his running mate". Kuam.com. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  10. ↑ "Sen. Rodriguez announces run for governor". Guampdn.com. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  11. ↑ "Sen. Dennis Rodriguez Jr. announces Dave Cruz as running mate". Guampdn.com. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  12. ↑ "Summary Report – Unofficial Results". Gec.guam.gov. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  13. ↑ Cagurangan, Mar-Vic (2018-10-29). "Does birthplace matter?". pactimes. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  14. 1 2 3 Lujan, Tihu (2018-11-05). "Should a candidate emphasize ethnicity? Observers weigh in". The Guam Daily Post. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
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