Who's running for governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Researched by Ballot Explained and checked against the sources cited on this page. Last reviewed . How we research · Report a correction
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Transparency: "A transparent voice means your government does not lie to you or hide things from you." He pledges to make decisions "for the next generation and not the next election."
Clearing years of delayed government audits, which he says are holding back federal funding and disaster recovery.
Health care for everyone who calls the CNMI home, with prevention programs reaching into the villages.
Hardened infrastructure, backup utility equipment and a rainy-day fund so the school system does not suffer after storms.
Training local workers through Northern Marianas College and NMTech, using CW and Pell funds, rather than relying on off-island labor. He also proposes building an educational-tourism industry.
Strict vetting of future major investors after the IPI casino bankruptcy, with priority for small businesses.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Member of the CNMI House of Representatives since January 2015. Speaker from January 2019 to January 2021, when the House created its first bipartisan ethics commission.
Has run as an independent (2014, 2016, 2022, 2024) and as a Republican (2018, 2020).
Worked as a legislative assistant during the 15th through 19th Commonwealth Legislatures before his election.
Running mate Edmund Villagomez has served 17 years in the House and is the current speaker.
Gov. David Apatang, who is not a candidate, has endorsed the ticket and attended its candidacy filing.
Drew the first ballot position in the Commission's draw.
Arguments in favor
Attao and Villagomez have "clean records" and offer "a more realistic and achievable platform"; he backs them after years of demanding transparency "since the time of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres."
— Fabian Indalecio, Army veteran and government-transparency advocate, as reported by Marianas Variety
Their legislative records show "impeccable" public spending, and neither has ever taken a legislative subsistence allowance. Together they bring decades of legislative experience into the executive branch.
— Blas Jonathan Attao, at the Marianas Press gubernatorial debate, as reported by Marianas Variety
Arguments against
"How do you say education when you flopped education?" The House leadership Attao belongs to underfunded the Public School System, leading to 72-hour work schedules and "Austerity Mondays."
— Former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, his Republican opponent, at the Northern Marianas Descent Corp. forum, as reported by Marianas Variety
Both Torres and Attao "failed to anticipate market downturns" and squandered opportunities such as the BOOST grant program.
— Lawrence Camacho, independent opponent, at the Marianas Press gubernatorial debate, as reported by Marianas Variety
What we couldn’t verify
How a rainy-day fund and the health-care expansion would be paid for, given the FY 2027 budget of about $100.7 million for government operations.
Whether the campaign has a website, and its fundraising.
Economic recovery as the first priority: "Nothing moves in the CNMI without economy. Nothing."
Public School System funding as "non-negotiable", with education and retirees as top priorities.
New power plants for Saipan, Rota and Tinian, and expanded alternative energy.
More health care on-island through public-private partnerships for equipment and specialists, and better federal Medicaid matching.
Making homestead lands available and helping NMD families build homes on them, while keeping the Marianas Public Land Trust strong.
Vetting major investors and adjusting regulations when companies face events beyond their control. He cites the unchanged $15 million annual fee as part of the IPI casino's collapse.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Senate president 2013-2015. Lieutenant governor 2015. Governor from December 29 2015, after Gov. Eloy Inos died, until January 2023. Elected to a full term in 2018.
Lost the 2022 election to Arnold Palacios in a runoff. Palacios won 54.1%.
His offices and home were searched by the FBI in 2019. Torres says that after six years of investigation "no charges were brought."
Impeached by the House in January 2022 on charges including unlawful first- and business-class travel. The Senate acquitted him in May 2022; conviction required six of nine votes.
Charged by the CNMI Attorney General's office in April 2022 with misconduct in public office and theft over premium-class travel, and later with contempt of the Legislature. In March 2026 a judge dismissed all charges with prejudice under a civil settlement in which he repays $23,745 for the airfare upgrades; both sides said it was not an admission of wrongdoing. In May 2026 the Attorney General's office asked the court to set the settlement aside, which his lawyers called politically motivated; no ruling had been reported as of June.
His administration reports a peak government budget of $236.7 million, nearly 27,000 jobs, and 600 permanent homes and 3,000 concrete power poles built in disaster recovery.
Ernst & Young's audits for fiscal 2022 and 2023, covering the end of his term, issued disclaimers of opinion on key funds. Torres says the roughly $1.25 billion figure circulating is total liabilities, not debt, and that bonded debt was about $75.6 million.
Drew the second ballot position in the Commission's draw.
Arguments in favor
Torres and Jones "can revive the economy" and they listen to younger generations who want reasons to stay in the islands.
— Valerie Estella, organizer of the first-time-voter group Manhoben for Torres-Jones, as reported by Marianas Variety
The CNMI reached its highest GDP growth and largest budget under his administration, with strong federal relationships that secured disaster aid. He would not have let the Commonwealth reach its current fiscal condition.
— Ralph DLG Torres, at the Marianas Press gubernatorial debate, as reported by Marianas Variety
Arguments against
The audits "lay bare" a government that "stopped balancing its checkbook", leaving an unassigned General Fund deficit of about $271 million. Aldan calls Torres "not the 'Economy Governor'" but the "Incompetent Governor."
— Rep. Vincent "Kobre" Seman Aldan, CNMI House member, in an opinion piece in Kandit News
Today's fiscal constraints stem from "fires made by the [Torres] administration", including "mismanagement of funds", unpaid Pacific Mini Games vendors, and 13% across-the-board cuts in 2019 that hit schools and public safety.
— Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao, independent opponent, at the Marianas Press debate and the Northern Marianas Descent Corp. forum, as reported by Marianas Variety
What we couldn’t verify
The outcome of the local criminal case against Torres filed in 2022 for misconduct in public office. It was not confirmed from the sources read here.
How much remained in the ARPA-funded BOOST grant program when he left office. He says about $7 million; critics say contemporaneous records do not support that figure.
Whether the campaign has a website, and its fundraising.
A new Department of Economy, working with Commerce, Finance, Labor and the Commonwealth Economic Development Authority, to "fix the economy once and for all."
Restructuring government, protecting education, public safety and health care while "right-sizing" government in what he expects to be a "bleak" fiscal outlook.
Solar expansion, aiming for at least half of all power customers to have solar within 10 years, plus municipal green-waste shredders.
Fewer costly off-island medical referrals by building capacity at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. He says part of the Marianas Public Land Trust's earnings could go to health benefits "without harming future inheritance."
Aligning the school system, Northern Marianas College, NMTech and the Labor Department with employers' needs, and "micro-credential" funding tied to the skills businesses need.
A firmer line with federal and military partners: the CNMI must stop "accepting what they tell us" and should charge fees to pre-positioned ships in its waters.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel with more than two decades of service. Later held higher-education leadership roles at Drexel University and the University of Guam.
Commissioner of education, Public School System, January 2024 to June 10 2026. During his tenure, PSS's Cognia accreditation was reaffirmed through 2030 and the district obligated all of its roughly $160 million ARPA allocation.
As commissioner, oversaw cuts to Monday classes and staff hours ("Austerity Mondays") from November 2025, after the FY 2026 budget law gave PSS $31.7 million. He had asked senators for at least $40 million; PSS's original request was $49 million.
Running mate Edith Deleon Guerrero was Senate president 2023-2025, and earlier labor secretary and Workforce Investment Agency director.
Drew the third ballot position in the Commission's draw.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Camacho by a named opponent, party or outlet was found, and no third-party endorsement either. Searched: Marianas Variety, Kandit News, Pacific Island Times and the debate coverage. Both argument columns are left empty rather than filled from one side only.
How the proposed Department of Economy would be funded and staffed in a budget of about $100.7 million for government operations.
Whether the campaign has a website, and its fundraising.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
The Northern Mariana Islands elects its governor and lieutenant governor as a joint ticket: one vote covers both offices. Gov. David M. Apatang, who took office when Gov. Arnold Palacios died in July 2025, is not on the ballot and is not seeking a full term; he has endorsed the Attao-Villagomez ticket and attended its candidacy filing. There is no primary in the CNMI. Each ticket qualified by filing nominating petitions with at least 200 voter signatures by August 5, and the Republican ticket was also certified by its party. Three tickets are on the November 3 2026 ballot, in this order as drawn by the Commonwealth Election Commission: (1) Rep. Blas Jonathan "BJ" Attao with House Speaker Edmund Villagomez, independent; (2) former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres with educator Benjamin Jones Jr., Republican; (3) former Education Commissioner Lawrence Camacho with former Senate President Edith Deleon Guerrero, independent. The NMI Democratic Party has no ticket and says it will not endorse until a runoff. A ticket needs more than half the votes cast. If none gets it, the top two meet in a runoff on the fourteenth day after the Commission certifies the results, so the runoff date is not fixed in advance. With three tickets on the ballot, a runoff is widely expected. Roster from the Commonwealth Election Commission's 2026 candidate listing and candidates' pamphlet, cross-checked with Marianas Variety and Wikipedia.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
The ballot in the Northern Mariana Islands also carries legislative seats and other territory offices that we do not cover. They are listed, with registration and early-voting dates and how the winner is decided, on the Northern Mariana Islands page.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Commonwealth Election Commission.