By Eric Rosario
Democrats will be meeting soon behind closed doors to decide who among them will by the speaker of the 36th Guam Legislature. Kandit has asked all eight Democratic senators who they will be voting for between current Speaker Tina Muna Barnes and crowd favorite Sen. Therese Terlaje.
Sen. Clynt Ridgell says it's too early to comment on the matter.
Voters at the General Election reduced the Democratic majority from 10 senators to eight, all of them incumbents. They include Muna Barnes, Terlaje, Jose "Pedo" Terlaje, Joe San Agustin, Sabina Perez, Clynt Ridgell, Amanda Shelton, and Telena Nelson.
Sen. Therese Terlaje received, by far, the highest number of votes in the election... again.
Ms. Terlaje vied for speaker in the current legislature, but was muscled out by Ms. Muna Barnes within the closed-door confines of Democratic caucus in December 2018. Kandit is trying to draw answers out from Democrats now. Political pundits agree the race is back between the two to lead Guam's first and most powerful branch of the government.
We messaged all eight re-elected Democratic lawmakers: Kandit's viewers will like to know for whom each of you will cast your vote for Speaker of the 36th Guam Legislature in the race between Speaker Tina Muna Barnes and Sen. Therese Terlaje.
"The majority party has yet to meet to discuss any matters of leadership to include any discussion of who may or may not be interested in a specific leadership position. It would be premature to cast a vote without knowing for certain who all is interested in leadership positions. It should also be noted that Vice-Speaker Telena Nelson is currently on military orders."
There may be a wrinkle in the Democrats's plans, though. Republicans now have a strong minority of seven senators in the next legislature. All it will take is for one Democrat senator to align with the GOP in order to switch the majority.
Incoming Republican Sen. Joanne Brown is offering Democrats her vote for speaker in return for making her the chairwoman of the committee having oversight of the seaport authority.
