Juan Nekai Babauta (born September 7, 1953) is a Northern Mariana Islander politician who served as the sixth
governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
The following is a list of persons who served as governor of Northern Mariana Islands. The term of office is 4 years. The longest-serving governors in CNMI history are Pedro Tenorio, who served 12 years in office from 1982 to 1990 and from 1998 ...
from January 14, 2002 to January 9, 2006.
Biography
Early life and education
Juan Babauta was born in
Tanapag
Tanapag is a settlement on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. It is located close to Tanapag Beach on the northwest coast, just to the north of Capital Hill, the island group's center of government. It lies on the Marpi Road (H ...
,
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on September 7, 1953.
[ He is the oldest of his family's nine children.][ Babauta completed elementary school on Saipan.][ His parents then sent him to the ]mainland United States
The contiguous United States (officially the conterminous United States) consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the Federal District of the United States of America. The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii ...
to continue his education. Babuata moved to Enosburg Falls, Vermont
Enosburg Falls is a village in the town of Enosburgh in Franklin County, Vermont, in the United States. The population was 1,356 at the 2020 census.
Geography
The village is located in the northwest corner of the town of Enosburgh along the Mis ...
where he attended Enosburg Falls High School while living on a dairy farm
Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history th ...
with a host family for three years.[ Babauta, who was student body president during his senior year and a member of the National Honors Society, graduated from Enosburg in 1972.
Babauta attended a summer session at ]Johnson State College
Johnson State College was a public liberal arts college in Johnson, Vermont. Founded in 1828 by John Chesamore, in 2018 it was merged with the former Lyndon State College to create Northern Vermont University.
History and governance
Both t ...
of Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
in 1976.[ He received a Bachelor of Science degree in ]American history
The history of the lands that became the United States began with the arrival of Settlement of the Americas, the first people in the Americas around 15,000 BC. Native American cultures in the United States, Numerous indigenous cultures formed ...
and political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
from Eastern New Mexico University
Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU or Eastern) is a public university with a main campus in Portales, New Mexico, and two associate degree-granting branches, one at Ruidoso and one at Roswell. ENMU is New Mexico's largest regional comprehensiv ...
in 1976 and a Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...
in political science from ENMU that same year.[ In 1979, Babauta completed a ]Master of Science
A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast t ...
degree in health planning and administration from the University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,0 ...
.[
]
Career
Babauta's interest in health planning began when he worked as a health planner for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1994.
History
Spain initially claimed the islands that later composed the territory of the Trus ...
from April to August 1977, based on Saipan.[ He became the executive director for the Commonwealth Health Planning and Development Agency in May 1979 after completing his master's degree at the University of Cincinnati.][ He remained executive director until January 1986.][
Babauta was elected to the ]Northern Mariana Islands Senate
The Northern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The Senate consists of nine senators representing three senatorial districts (Saipan & the Northern Islands, Tinian & Aguijan, and ...
in November 1985 representing the 3rd Senatorial District, which encompassed Saipan and the Northern Islands Municipality
Northern Islands Municipality is one of the four main political divisions of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It consists of a long string of the northernmost islands of the Northern Marianas, including (from north to south) Far ...
. He took office in January 1986 and served for one, four-year term in the Fifth and Sixth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislatures.[ He served as the Senate ]floor leader
In politics, floor leaders, also known as a caucus leader, are leaders of their respective political party in a body of a legislature.
Philippines
In the Philippines each body of the bicameral Congress has a majority floor leader and a minor ...
from January 1986 to January 1988 and the chairman of the Fiscal Affairs committee from January 1986 until August 1987. Babauta also chaired the Committee on Health, Education and Welfare from January 1986 and January 1990 and the Committee on Rules and Procedure from January 1988 until he left office in January 1990. Babauta introduced The Education Act of 1988 as a Senator.
Resident Representative
In November 1989, Babauta was elected as the third Resident Representative of the Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands's at-large congressional district encompasses the entire U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The territory does not have a voting member of Congress, but does elect a delegate who can particip ...
in Washington D.C. He took office in January 1990, succeeding Froilan Tenorio
Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio (September 9, 1939 – May 4, 2020) was a Northern Mariana Islander politician who was the fourth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. Elected in 1993, he served one term from January 10, 1994 to January 12, 1998 ...
. He served as Resident Representative for three 4-year terms[ from January 1990 until leaving office in January 2002 to become governor.
]
Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
In November 2001, Babauta was elected Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
The following is a list of persons who served as governor of Northern Mariana Islands. The term of office is 4 years. The longest-serving governors in CNMI history are Pedro Tenorio, who served 12 years in office from 1982 to 1990 and from 1998 ...
in the four-way gubernatorial election
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
as a Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
. Babauta and his running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate running with a pr ...
, Diego Benavente
Diego Tenorio Benavente (born April 21, 1959) is a Northern Mariana Islander politician who served as the sixth lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 14, 2002 to January 9, 2006, under former Governor Juan Babauta.
B ...
, won the election with 5,512 votes, the largest number of votes ever received by a gubernatorial candidate in the Northern Mariana Islands at the time. He defeated Covenant Party candidate Benigno Fitial
Benigno Repeki Fitial (born November 27, 1945) is a Northern Marianan politician who served was the seventh governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. The second longest-serving governor in CNMI history, Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005, assu ...
, Democrat Jesus Borja
Jesus "Jesse" Camacho Borja (born September 14, 1948) is a Northern Mariana Islander politician and lawyer who served as the fourth lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 10, 1994 until January 12, 1998 under former Democr ...
and former Governor and then Reform Party candidate Froilan Tenorio
Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio (September 9, 1939 – May 4, 2020) was a Northern Mariana Islander politician who was the fourth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. Elected in 1993, he served one term from January 10, 1994 to January 12, 1998 ...
, respectively.[ Babauta and Benavente were sworn into office on January 14, 2002.
Babauta was defeated for re-election in the 2005 gubernatorial election. The Republican party refused to hold a primary against former ]Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
(2002-2004) Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Sablan Hofschneider (born July 1, 1957) is a politician from the Northern Mariana Islands. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives from 2002 to 2004 and is a four-time candidate for Governor ...
. Babauta and Benavente eventually came in third place in the gubernatorial election, behind Covenant Party candidate Benigno Fitial
Benigno Repeki Fitial (born November 27, 1945) is a Northern Marianan politician who served was the seventh governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. The second longest-serving governor in CNMI history, Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005, assu ...
and Hofschneider, running as an independent, in an election that marked the worst defeat for the Republican Party in its history.
Benigno Fitial was elected Governor over independent Heinz Hofschneider by just 99 votes after fifteen days tallying absentee ballots, the closest gubernatorial election in Northern Mariana Islands history at the time.[ Fitial won with 3809 votes (28.07%) while independent Hofschneider came in a close second with 3,710 votes (27.33%).][ Babauta placed a disappointing third place with 3,610 votes, or 26.66%.][ ]Froilan Tenorio
Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio (September 9, 1939 – May 4, 2020) was a Northern Mariana Islander politician who was the fourth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. Elected in 1993, he served one term from January 10, 1994 to January 12, 1998 ...
came in fourth with 2442 votes (17.99%).[ In a concession speech at his home, Babauta told supporters, "Nobody's to blame but me."][ Babauta left office on January 9, 2006.][
Four years later, Babauta unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination in the 2009 gubernatorial election with running mate, Galvin S. Deleon Guerrero, the principal at Mount Carmel School.] Babauta was defeated in the Republican primary election on June 27, 2009, by Heinz Hofschneider. Hofschneider received 3,382 votes in the primary election, while Babauta garnered 2,986 votes.[ Babauta reiterated a unity pledge with Hofschneider after the primary][ and endorsed Hofschneider in his bid for the governorship.
]
Subsequent career
Babauta also worked as the publisher of ''Homeland Magazine'' from 2007 until 2009.
In April 2010, Babauta declared his candidacy for Northern Mariana Islands' Delegate to the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
as a Republican against incumbent Rep. Gregorio Kilili Sablan. Babauta faced Sablan, as well as Democrat Jesus Borja
Jesus "Jesse" Camacho Borja (born September 14, 1948) is a Northern Mariana Islander politician and lawyer who served as the fourth lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 10, 1994 until January 12, 1998 under former Democr ...
and Covenant candidate Joseph Camacho in the 2010 United States House of Representatives election in the Northern Mariana Islands on November 2, 2010. Sablan won re-election to a second term, while Babauta placed third in the race.
In 2014, Babauta decided to run for governor against incumbent Republican Eloy Inos
Eulogio "Eloy" Songao Inos (September 26, 1949 – December 28, 2015) was a Northern Marianan politician who served as the eighth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from 2013 to 2015. Inos, a member of the Republican Party, also served as t ...
as an independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
. He cited the refusal of the Republican party to hold a primary as his reasoning, along with the introduction of casino gambling. His running mate was former Senator Juan Torres.
In 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
, Babauta again decided to run for governor as an independent, against Republican incumbent Ralph Torres
Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres (born August 6, 1979) is a Northern Marianan politician currently serving as the ninth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands since December 29, 2015. He is a Republican from Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern M ...
. This time his running mate was former Education Commissioner Rita Aldan Sablan. He lost against Torres by a 62.2% to 37.8% margin.
See also
*
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Babauta, Juan N.
1953 births
Eastern New Mexico University alumni
Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands
Living people
Northern Mariana Islands politicians
People from Saipan
Republican Party (Northern Mariana Islands) politicians
Republican Party governors of the Northern Mariana Islands
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from the Northern Mariana Islands
Resident Representatives of the Northern Mariana Islands
University of Cincinnati alumni