By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Tuesday's midterm elections flipped the Guam legislature, with Republicans winning the majority with nine seats.
Guam's Republican Del. James Moylan retains his seat in Congress after defeating his Democratic challenger Ginger Cruz in a tight race.
According to unofficial election results from the Guam Election Commission, Moylan garnered 15,422 votes (52.6 percent) against Cruz's 13,703 (46.8 percent).
The election had a 48.3 percent voter turnout.
Speaker Therese Terlaje and Sen. Chris Barnett topped the senatorial race, gaining 19,995 and 17,967 votes, respectively. The two leading Democrats are speculated to team up for the 2026 gubernatorial race.
Vicente Anthony Ada, a former senator, ranked third with 16,536 votes and will return to the legislature to rejoin his Republican colleagues.
The Republican Party will take control of the 38th Guam Legislature, which will see four newcomers: Sabrina Matanane, Shelly Calvo, Vincent Borja, and Shawn Gumataotao.
The last time the Republican Party held the majority was in 2006.
Two incumbent Democrats, Sens. Roy Quinata and Dwayne San Nicolas, and two incumbent Republicans, Joanne Brown and Thomas Fisher, lost their reelection bids.
Sen. Amanda Shelton, another incumbent Democrat, ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Guam delegate seat in the August primary.
The Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administration issued a statement, congratulating the election winners, including the Guam delegate, mayors and senators.
"Your success is a reflection of the people’s voices, and we are hopeful for the progress and collaboration to come," reads the statement from the governor's office.
"We celebrate our own Guam leaders, beginning with our incumbent delegate James Moylan, who has once again earned the trust of our people to represent us on the national stage," the governor's office said.
Unofficial Results from the Guam Election Commission report with all 72 Precincts reporting, that Republicans will lead a 9-6 legislative majority at the Guam Congress Building in January 2025.
“The results on Super Tuesday would have not been possible without the support of the hundreds of volunteers across our 19 districts focused on wins
in the 2024 General Election,” said Republican Party of Guam Chairman Shawn Gumataotao.
“Our candidates and party Members spent the entire election cycle pushing our “Vote Early Guam” effort. Re-thinking our engagement with the Guam electoral process had significant gains,” Gumataotao said.
Additionally, there were eight competitive races for mayor and vice mayor across the island’s 19 municipalities or villages. Party candidates for mayor and vice mayor were re-elected or successful in Hagåtña, Piti, Hågat, Humåtak, Mangilao and Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon.
“The village races are traditionally grassroots political efforts,” Gumataotao said. “Campaigning across the island to elect local leaders has not changed much over the past six decades and the recent Mid-Term Election on Guam will
carry the Party into 2025 and beyond."
San Nicolas issued the following statement:
"I am deeply grateful to the people of Guam for placing your trust in me throughout my time in office and during this campaign. Although the outcome of the 2024 general election wasn’t what we had hoped for, I am proud of the work my office and I have accomplished together for our island and I am grateful for the connections we made along the way.
"In these past two years, I’ve learned so many things, and forged friendships and partnerships that will last a lifetime. I remain committed to serving the people of Guam with integrity, transparency, compassion, and kindness in all that I do. Thank you once again for placing your faith in me and supporting me. It has been an honor to represent the people of Guam and I look forward to contributing to our island community outside of the Guam legislature as the CEO and founder of my company, J. Goodman."
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