Arnold Palacios

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Arnold Palacios
10th Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2023
LieutenantDave Apatang
Preceded byRalph Torres
12th Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
In office
January 14, 2019 – January 9, 2023
GovernorRalph Torres
Preceded byVictor Hocog
Succeeded byDavid M. Apatang
19th President of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate
In office
January 10, 2017 – January 14, 2019
Preceded byFrank Borja
Succeeded byVictor Hocog
13th Speaker of the
Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
In office
January 14, 2008 – January 11, 2010
Preceded byOscar M. Babauta
Succeeded byFroilan Tenorio
Personal details
Born
Arnold Indalecio Palacios

(1955-08-22) 22 August 1955 (age 69)
Saipan, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (now Northern Mariana Islands)
Political partyRepublican (before 2021, 2024–present)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (2021–2024)
EducationPortland State University (BS)

Arnold Indalecio Palacios (born August 22, 1955) is a Northern Marianan politician currently serving as the tenth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, since 2023. He previously served as the 12th lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from 2019 to 2023 and was a member of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate and Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives. A lifelong member of the Republican party, he briefly left the party between 2021 and 2024, when he became the first independent to be elected as governor.

Early and personal life

Palacios was born August 22, 1955, on Saipan, the son of Dr. Francisco T. Palacios, a member of the Marianas Political Status Commission.[1][2] Palacios graduated from Portland State University with a BS in business administration.[3][4] Palacios is married to Wella Sablan Palacios[3] and they have four children: Arnold Gerard, Nicole, Tiana, and Eric. He served as the Director of Fish and Wildlife during the 1990s.[5]

Political career

Palacios represented Election District 3 in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, which encompasses portions of Saipan and the Northern Islands.[3][6] He served as the Speaker of the House after being sworn in on January 14, 2008 during the 16th Legislature.[7]

Palacios was the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Heinz Hofschneider in the 2009 gubernatorial election.[8] While the ticket narrowly won in the first round, they would go on to lose to Covenant Party candidate Benigno Fitial in the Islands' first run-off election.

Between 2010 and 2014, Palacios served as Secretary of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources under Governor Eloy Inos.[9]

In the 2014 general election, Palacios was elected to the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, alongside Justo Songao Quitugua, defeating seven candidates for two seats from the 3rd Senatorial District (Saipan).[10][11] He was sworn into office as a Senator in the 19th Commonwealth Legislature on January 12, 2015. At the start of the 19th Commonwealth Legislature, Palacios was elected Floor Leader by a unanimous roll call.[12]

In the 2018 gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor Ralph Torres selected Palacios as his running mate.[13][14] The ticket would go on to win in the first round, with Palacios becoming the twelfth person to serve as Lieutenant Governor.[15]

In 2021, Palacios announced he would be challenging Torres for the Governorship in the 2022 election, running with Saipan mayor David M. Apatang as his running-mate.[16] Palacios also announced that he would be running as an independent.[17] After coming second in the first round, the eliminated Democratic candidate Tina Sablan endorsed the Palacios ticket, with a "unity pledge" being signed to align their similar policy goals.[18] Palacios would win in the second round, with him being the first independent candidate to win a gubernatorial election in the Northern Mariana Islands.[19] Following the election, Palacios appointed multiple Democrats to his cabinet, including Sablan's running mate Leila Staffler.

Palacios rejoined the Republican Party in December 2024.[20] This was soon after Donald Trump's reelection as president of the United States, with Palacios justifying his decision as he believed Trump's vision and policies were aligned with his goal of bringing increased prosperity to the islands.[20] Palacios reportedly made this decision in coordination with the national party, without consulting the local party leadership in the Northern Mariana Islands.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "N Mariana Islands Lt. Governor Arnold Palacios". NLGA Members Bio Book (PDF). National Lieutenant Governors Association. January 20, 2022. p. 30. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  2. ^ Erediano, Emmanuel T. (November 7, 2022). "Palacios, Sablan cast early votes on Citizenship Day". Marianas Variety. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Representative Arnold I. Palacios". Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  4. ^ "Gov. Arnold Palacios". National Governors Association. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  5. ^ "Fish and Wildlife". State Administrative Officials Classified by Function. Lexington, Kentucky: Council of State Governments. 1991. p. 114. ISBN 0872929620 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ Limol, K.-Andrea Evarose. "UPDATED: Team Palacios-Apatang wins". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  7. ^ Palacios, Arnold I. (2008-01-14). "'Restore the people's confidence in Legislature'". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  8. ^ Eugenio, Haidee V. (2009-11-23). "CNMI holds first runoff election". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2012-01-12. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
  9. ^ Eugenio, Haidee V. (September 16, 2014). "Igisomar is GOP's bet for special election". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  10. ^ Rabago, Mark (November 10, 2014). "Old guard, new faces recognize CNMI challenges". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  11. ^ "Commonwealth Election Commission - Legislative Initiatives". Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  12. ^ Cruz, Geraldine T. (Journal Clerk) (January 12, 2015). "Election of Floor Leader" (PDF). Senate Journal. 19 (1). Northern Mariana Islands Senate: 8–9. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  13. ^ Villahermosa, Cherrie Anne E. (2017-11-21). "Torres announces Palacios as running mate for 2018". The Guam Daily Post. Archived from the original on 2018-11-04. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  14. ^ Encinares, Erwin (2017-11-20). "Torres-Palacios ticket affirmed". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2018-02-10. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  15. ^ De la Torre, Ferdie (2017-01-09). "20th legislature to convene today". The Guam Daily Post. Archived from the original on 2018-11-04. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  16. ^ De La Torre, Ferdie (2021-10-20). "BREAKING NEWS: Palacios to run for governor in 2022". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2021-11-28. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  17. ^ Erediano, Emmanuel T. (2021-10-22). "Palacios, Apatang vow to rebuild trust in government". Marianas Variety News & Views. Garapan, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  18. ^ Manglona, Thomas (2022-11-16). "CNMI independents & democrats sign Unity Pledge". KUAM News. Dededo, Guam. Retrieved 2022-11-16.
  19. ^ "Palacios-Apatang wins gubernatorial runoff".
  20. ^ a b c Erediano, Emmanuel T. (January 2, 2025). "Year in Review 2024: Governor rejoins Republican Party; local GOP not amused". Marianas Variety. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
2008–2010 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate
2017–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
2019–2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
2023–present 		Incumbent


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