Frank Blas Aguon Jr. (born June 21, 1966) is a

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

anian politician and

army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

. A

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, he served in the Legislature of Guam from 1997 to 2007, 2009 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2019. He is a former Vice-Speaker from 2003 to 2005. Senator Aguon won re-election by his 1st place with more votes in 2014 and 2016, than his 2nd-place run in 2012. Aguon has also run as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Guam in the 2006 and 2010 gubernatorial elections and was the running mate of former Guam Governor

Carl Gutierrez Carl Tommy Cruz Gutierrez (born October 15, 1941) is an American (U.S. citizen) politician who was the 6th Governor of Guam, serving two four-year terms with Lieutenant Governor Madeleine Z. Bordallo from January 2, 1995 to January 6, 2003. Gutie ...

in the 2010 election. In February 2017, he announced his intentions to run in the

2018 Guamanian gubernatorial election The 2018 Guam gubernatorial election took place on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of Guam. Incumbent Republican Governor Eddie Baza Calvo was ineligible for re-election, after his win in 2014, since Guam does not allow gover ...

with his running mate, former U.S. Attorney

Alicia Limtiaco Alicia Anne Garrido Limtiaco (born August 7, 1963) is a former United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. She was sworn in on June 21, 2010, and served until March 10, 2017. She was previously Attorney Gen ...

; in August 2018 he lost the Democratic primary. He ran as a

write-in candidate A write-in candidate is a candidate whose name does not appear on the ballot but seeks election by asking voters to cast a vote for the candidate by physically writing in the person's name on the ballot. Depending on electoral law it may be poss ...

for the November general election, finishing third with 22% of the vote.

Early life

Aguon was born , to the late Francisco Blas Aguon, Sr. (1936–2005) and Marcelina Leon Guerrero Aguon. He was raised on a farm in Guam. Aguon attended St. Francis School and graduated from Father Dueñas Memorial School in 1984, a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

high school in

Mangilao Mangilao is a village on the eastern shore of the United States territory of Guam. The village's population has decreased slightly since the island's 2010 census. Cliffs lie along much of the village's shoreline provide dramatic views, including ...

. He received his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in 1988 from the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...

. He continued his education and obtained a

M.B.A. A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as account ...

also from the University of Denver in 1990.

Personal life

Aguon is married to Jennifer Uncangco Lujan, who played for the Women's

Softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

team won a gold medal for Guam at the 1998

Micronesian Games The Micronesian Games (or Micro Games, MicroGames) are a quadrennial international multi-sport event within the Micronesian region. The Games were first held in 1969 in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands). The 2010 Micronesian Games were initially d ...

Palau Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the ...

, Aguon has four children. He is member of St. Francis Roman Catholic Parish on Guam.

Political career

Aguon began working in government in 1988. He has served as the director of the Guam Department of Commerce, a research analyst and the chairman of the Guam Territorial Planning Council. Aguon enlisted in the Guam Air National Guard in 1999. He was deployed to

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

in 2007 and 2008 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Guam Legislature

Aguon was first elected as a senator in the 24th

Guam Legislature The Legislature of Guam ( ch, Liheslaturan Guåhan) is the law-making body for the United States territory of Guam. The unicameral legislative branch consists of fifteen senators, each serving for a two-year term. All members of the legislature a ...

in 1997. He has since served six two-year terms in the legislature. In 2003 Aguon has served as Vice Speaker during one term in office. His committee assignments have included the Committee on

Micronesia Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of about 2,000 small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: the Philippines to the west, Polynesia to the east, and ...

Veterans A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that h ...

, and Military Affairs as well as the Committee on Education.

Underwood-Aguon Campaign (2006)

Aguon was the

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 ...

of Guam gubernatorial candidate Robert A. Underwood in 2006. In September the Underwood-Aguon ticket won in the primary election after they defeated by the former governor

and senator BJ Cruz after that Guiterrez is now endorsed to former congressman Underwood. However, the Underwood-Aguon ticket was defeated in the general election by incumbent

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 ...

Governor 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 ...

Felix Perez Camacho Felix James Pérez Camacho (born October 30, 1957) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 7th Governor of Guam from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party of Guam, he had previously served as a six-term senator in the ...

and Lieutenant Governor

Michael Cruz Michael Warren "Mike" Cruz, M.D. (born September 8, 1958) is a Guamanian surgeon and former politician who served as the 8th Lieutenant Governor of Guam from January 1, 2007 to January 3, 2011. Biography Personal life Cruz was born on Septemb ...

Gutierrez-Aguon Campaign (2010)

In 2010, former Guam Governor

chose Aguon as his running mate for lieutenant governor in the 2010 gubernatorial election. Gutierrez and Aguon ran unopposed in the primary, marking the first uncontested Democratic primary election for governor in forty years. Gutierrez and Aguon received 8,140 votes in the primary election. Gutierrez and Aguon would lose the 2010 general election to Eddie Baza Calvo and

Ray Tenorio Raymond Stanley Tenorio (born February 8, 1965) is an American-Guamanian politician and former police officer of the Guam Police Department who served as the 9th Lieutenant Governor of Guam from January 3, 2011, to January 7, 2019. Tenorio is a ...

by 487 votes. Aguon along with Gutierrez would file a lawsuit challenging the recount. In February 2012 Aguon requested to drop the suit.Steve Limtiaco, "Aguon wants out of suit. Gutierrez to continue challenging 2010 election," February 23, 2012, Pacific Daily News, http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120223/NEWS01/202230321/Aguon-wants-out-suit-Gutierrez-continue-challenging-2010-election?odyssey=tab, topnews, text, Frontpage

Return to Guam Legislature

In 2012, Aguon ran again for island-wide office as senator in the Guam Legislature. He also worked with campaign treasurer J. Arthur "Art" Chan, Jr. who is a working engineering from Hawaiian Rock Products. A returning newcomer to politics, Aguon received more votes than three incumbent senators, finishing number two, in the Democratic Party primary with 7,572 votes. Frank Aguon, Jr. campaign gained more momentum between the primary and the general elections, where he placed number two island-wide with 19,518 votes, only one former senator received more votes.

32nd Guam Legislature

Senator Aguon was return to his office and sworn in as a senator on January 7, 2013, with his wife, Jennifer and his kids in attendance. As chairman of the Guam US Military Relocation, Homeland Security, Veteran's Affairs and Judiciary. On January 25, 2013 Senator Aguon introduced Bill No. 24-32 (COR) of the Guam Code Annotated relative to waiver of fees for immediate kin of fallen heroes. In December 2014 Senator Aguon introduced at bill to amend Section 1 of Public Law 32-208; relative to removing "Senators of I Liheslaturan Guahan" from the Competitive Wage Act of 2014. In December Senators Aguon and Rodriguez introduced Bill No. 412-32 (COR) Guam Code Annotated, relative to requiring abortion providers to include gestational age in abortion reports.

2014 Election

On June 25, 2014, Aguon filed for candidacy with the Guam Election Commission for a next term as a Democratic senator for 33rd Guam Legislature. Aguon's campaign treasurer is now Epifanio Winston M. Ilicito replacing J. Arthur Chan, Jr. for his working engineer. In his bid for re-election, Senator Aguon was first place, with 6,556 votes or 79.3% of the Democratic primary vote. Senator Aguon won re-election with 1st place with more votes in 2014 than his 2nd-place run in 2012.

33rd Guam Legislature

After placing number 1 in the island-wide election, Aguon was chosen by his colleagues in the 33rd Guam Legislature to lead the Committee on Guam US Military Relocation, Homeland Security, Veteran's Affairs and Judiciary.

Working as senator

On January 21, 2015 Senator Aguon introduced Bill No. 27-33 (COR) an act relative to recognizing that public employees with superior ratings in Fiscal Year 2002 were not compensated for meritorious performance in accordance with the provisions contained in §6203, Title 4, Guam Code Annotated; authorizing the application of the Merit Bonus Program for Fiscal Year 2002; and providing for such payments. On January 22, 2015 Senator Aguon introduced Bill No. 28-33 (COR) a relative to removing the time restriction for the Guam Police Department Headquarters, Administrative and other Agency Sections from occupying Government-owned facilities at Tiyan, Guam; through amending Section 2 of Public Law No. 26-100. In February Senator Aguon introduced Bill No. 44-33 (COR) to properly classify law enforcement personnel of the government of Guam by renaming "Attendance Officers" as "Truancy Officers" to reflect practice throughout the United States and classify such officers as law enforcement under the provisions of Public Law 29-105; and to provide uniforms and equipment to truancy officers. On March 4 Senator Aguon introduced Bill No. 229.33 (COR) relative to the temporary employment of retired conservation officers and limited-term conservation officers recruits within the Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources of the Department of Agriculture should a critical need arise due to military activation or long-term disability. In June Senators Aguon and Tom Ada introduced Bill No. 333-33 (COR) of Guam Code Annotated, and to require quarterly reports be transmitted to I Maga'lahen Guåhan and the Speaker of I Liheslaturan Guåhan of the same, relative to the voluntary placement of a distinguishing mark for Guam Veterans on the Guam driver's licences and the Guam identification card.

2016 Election

On June 13, 2016, Aguon filed for candidacy with the Guam Election Commission for a next term as a Democratic senator in the Guam Legislature. Aguon won re-election for another first place with more votes in 2016.

2018 Election

Aguon-Limtiaco Campaign (2018)

On February 21, 2017, Aguon has confirmed he intends to seek the Democratic Party nomination in the 2018 Guam gubernatorial election with his running mate

a former US Attorney (Guam and CNMI) and Guam Attorney General, when it was confirmed in October 2017. They will challenge with

Lou Leon Guerrero Lourdes Aflague "Lou" Leon Guerrero (born November 8, 1950) is an American politician who has served as the 9th governor of Guam since 2019. She was president and CEO of the Bank of Guam from 2007 to 2017, having previously served as a senator of ...

with Josh Tenorio, former governor Carl Gutierrez with Fred Bordallo, and Dennis Rodriguez with Dave Cruz. They recently lost three other tickets after winning the Leon Guerrero/Tenorio, as well as defeated streak are Gutierrez/Bordallo and Rodriguez/Cruz with 32% of the primary vote to become their official nominees.

Electoral history

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Aguon, Frank 1966 births 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians United States Air Force personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Chamorro people Guamanian Democrats Guamanian Roman Catholics Living people Members of the Legislature of Guam University of Denver alumni