# Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)

The Covenant Party was a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The party was founded in 2001, splitting from the Republican Party and was dissolved in 2013, with the party merging back into the Republican Party. The party advocated for governmental and financial reform.

## History
### 2001 – 2008

The party was named after the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, Act of Mar. 24, 1976, Pub. L. 94-241, 90 Stat. 263, codified as amended at 48 U.S.C. § 1801 note.
In the 2003 general election, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. The party mostly made up of members from the Republican Party, but many prominent Democrats would also join the party.
In the 2005 general elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the strongest parties in the Commonwealth when Benigno R. Fitial, the party's gubernatorial candidate, won the election. The Covenant Party won seven of eighteen seats in the commonwealth's House of Representatives and three of nine seats in its Senate.
In the 2007 general election, the Covenant Party won only four of twenty seats in the House of Representatives. The party maintained three seats in senate.

### Scandal

In August 2008, Villagomez was indicted on felony charges relating to the misuse of government funds. On April 24, 2009, he was found guilty along with former Commerce Secretary James A. Santos and his wife Joaquina V. Santos (Villagomez's sister) relating to a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. through needless purchases of a de-scaling chemical called Rydlyme. Awaiting sentencing on July 28, 2009, Villagomez tendered his resignation on April 24.

### 2009 – 2013

In December 2010, Governor Benigno Fitial proposed that the Covenant Party merge with the Republican Party. Republican and Covenant Party leaders rejected the proposal, and the Covenant Party contested the 2012 general elections. Governor Benigno Fitial would leave the Covenant Party and rejoin the Republican Party, passing leadership to Eloy Inos. In 2012, the Covenant Party endorsed then-independent Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan whom Benigno Fitial wanted replaced with a Republican in the 2012 elections.
In September 2013, Governor Eloy Inos again tried to merge the Covenant Party with the Republican Party. The party is considered dissolved when Inos departed the party and rejoined the Republican Party in 2013. Many left the party soon after, most moving to the Republican Party, making it a Republican Party absorption of the Covenant Party. On August 19, 2021, during an interview on the 2022 gubernatorial election, Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios mentioned that the Republican Party did vote to approve the merger in 2013.

## Electoral history
### CNMI Gubernatorial elections

| Year | Nominees | Nominees | First Round | First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Result |
| Year | Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Votes | Percentage | Placement | ±% | Votes | Percentage | Placement | ±% | Result |
| 2005 | Benigno Repeki Fitial | Timothy Pangelinan Villagomez | 3,766 | 27.95% | 1st | N/A | Run-off voting was not implemented yet | Run-off voting was not implemented yet | Run-off voting was not implemented yet | Run-off voting was not implemented yet | Won |
| 2009 | Benigno Repeki Fitial | Eulogio "Eloy" Songao Inos | 4,892 | 36.14% | 2nd | 8.19 | 6,610 | 51.44% | 1st | N/A | Won |

### CNMI Delegate election

| Year | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Placement | Result |
| 2010 | Joseph James Norita Camacho | 2,744 | 24.23% | 2nd | Lost |

### CNMI Territorial Senate elections

| Year | District | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Placement | Result |
| 2005 | Rota 1st Senatorial District (2 seats) | Felix Taisacan Mendiola | 634 | 23.62% | 1st | Won |
| 2005 | Rota 1st Senatorial District (2 seats) | Paterno Songao Hocog | 599 | 22.32% | 3rd | Lost |
| 2005 | Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Joseph Masga Mendiola | 583 | 26.77% | 1st | Won |
| 2005 | Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Joaquin Hoashi Borja | 512 | 23.51% | 4th | Lost |
| 2005 | Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Claudio Kotomar Norita | 4,270 | 21.31% | 3rd | Lost |
| 2007 | Rota 1st Senatorial District (1 seat) | Crispin Manglona Ogo | 491 | 37.68% | 2nd | Lost |
| 2007 | Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (1 seat) | Henry Hofschneider San Nicolas | 599 | 55.93% | 1st | Won |
| 2007 | Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (1 seat) | Ramon Santos Dela Cruz | 1,384 | 15.53% | 4th | Lost |
| 2009 | Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Joaquin Hoashi Borja | 564 | 23.04% | 3rd | Lost |
| 2009 | Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Joseph Masga Mendiola (incumbent) | 549 | 22.43% | 4th | Lost |
| 2009 | Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Jacinta Matagolai Kaipat | 2,947 | 14.90% | 3rd | Lost |
| 2009 | Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats) | Ana Sablan Teregeyo | 1,768 | 8.94% | 6th | Lost |
| 2012 | Saipan & Northern Islands 3rd Senatorial District (1 seat) | Ana Sablan Teregeyo | 1,225 | 13.06% | 4th | Lost |

### CNMI Territorial House of Representatives elections

| Year | District | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Placement | Result |
| 2005 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Jacinta Matagolai Kaipat | 1,891 | 6.92% | 6th | Won |
| 2005 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Jesus Camacho Muna | 1,334 | 4.88% | 11th | Lost |
| 2005 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog | 1,330 | 4.87% | 12th | Lost |
| 2005 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Juan Cepeda Deleon Guerrero | 1,318 | 4.83% | 13th | Lost |
| 2005 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Herman Pangelinan Sablan | 1,005 | 3.68% | 14th | Lost |
| 2005 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Oscar Manglona Babauta | 600 | 41.50% | 1st | Won |
| 2005 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Jesus San Nicolas Lizama | 463 | 32.05% | 2nd | Won |
| 2005 | District 3: Saipan & Northern Islands (6 seats) | Francisco Santos Dela Cruz | 1,118 | 8.49% | 4th | Won |
| 2005 | District 3: Saipan & Northern Islands (6 seats) | Absalon Victor, Jr. Waki | 999 | 7.59% | 6th | Won |
| 2005 | District 3: Saipan & Northern Islands (6 seats) | Melvin Larence Odoshi Faisao | 964 | 7.32% | 7th | Lost |
| 2005 | District 3: Saipan & Northern Islands (6 seats) | Henry Kaipat Rabauliman | 941 | 7.14% | 8th | Lost |
| 2005 | District 3: Saipan & Northern Islands (6 seats) | Howard Iglecias Macaranas | 917 | 6.96% | 9th | Lost |
| 2005 | District 4: Saipan (2 seats) | Gonzalo Quitugua Santos | 625 | 18.14% | 3rd | Lost |
| 2005 | District 5: Tinian (1 seat) | Edwin Palacios Aldan | 555 | 52.21% | 1st | Won |
| 2005 | District 6: Rota (1 seat) | Crispin Mangloña Ogo | 833 | 61.10% | 1st | Won |
| 2007 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog | 678 | 4.47% | 10th | Lost |
| 2007 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Oscar Manglona Babauta | 383 | 23.97% | 1st | Won |
| 2007 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Raymond Demapan Palacios | 381 | 6.92% | 2nd | Won |
| 2007 | District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | Francisco "Frank" Santos Dela Cruz | 1,109 | 10.48% | 6th | Won |
| 2007 | District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | David Reyes Maratita | 915 | 8.65% | 8th | Lost |
| 2007 | District 5: Saipan (2 seats) | Ramon Sablan Basa | 241 | 8.50% | 5th | Lost |
| 2007 | District 5: Saipan (2 seats) | Jesus Camacho Muna | 186 | 6.56% | 8th | Lost |
| 2007 | District 6: Tinian (1 seats) | Edwin Palacios Aldan | 547 | 51.65% | 1st | Won |
| 2009 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio | 1,671 | 9.83% | 2nd | Won |
| 2009 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Vicente Camacho Cabrera | 993 | 5.84% | 10th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Benjamin Matagolai Cepeda | 918 | 5.40% | 11th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Antonia Manibusan Tudela | 852 | 5.01% | 12th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Canice Kaipat Taitano | 764 | 4.49% | 13th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Raymond Demapan Palacios (incumbent) | 494 | 27.07% | 1st | Won |
| 2009 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Rafael Sablan Demapan | 381 | 20.88% | 2nd | Won |
| 2009 | District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | Felicidad Taman Ogumoro | 1,140 | 8.48% | 4th | Won |
| 2009 | District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez | 1,079 | 8.03% | 5th | Won |
| 2009 | District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | Jesus Mareham Elameto | 957 | 7.12% | 7th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | David Reyes Maratita | 901 | 6.70% | 8th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 3: Saipan (6 seats) | Henry Kaipat Rabauliman | 864 | 6.43% | 10th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 4: Saipan (2 seats) | Sylvestre Ilo Iguel | 618 | 23.69% | 2nd | Won |
| 2009 | District 4: Saipan (2 seats) | Thomas Jesus Camacho | 480 | 18.40% | 4th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 5: Saipan (2 seats) | Ramon Sablan Basa | 664 | 18.83% | 2nd | Won |
| 2009 | District 5: Saipan (2 seats) | Daniel Ogo Quitugua | 409 | 11.60% | 6th | Lost |
| 2009 | District 6: Tinian (1 seat) | Edwin Palacios Aldan (incumbent) | 550 | 45.80% | 2nd | Lost |
| 2012 | District 1: Saipan (6 seats) | Martin Cabrera Sablan | 1,060 | 6.64% | 7th | Lost |
| 2012 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | John Paul Palacios Sablan | 547 | 28.40% | 1st | Won |
| 2012 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Rafael Sablan Demapan (incumbent) | 521 | 27.05% | 2nd | Won |
| 2012 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez (incumbent) | 963 | 7.61% | 4th | Won |
| 2012 | District 2: Saipan (2 seats) | Brian Ayuyu Torres | 362 | 2.86% | 16th | Lost |
| 2012 | District 4: Saipan (2 seats) | Christopher Duenas Leon Guerrero | 639 | 30.47% | 1st | Won |

### CNMI Mayoral elections

| Year | District | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Placement | Result |
| 2005 | Mayor - Saipan | Juan Borja Tudela | 3,786 | 35.75% | 1st | Won |
| 2005 | Mayor - Tinian and Aguiguan | Jose Pangelinan Borja San Nicolas | 560 | 57.76% | 1st | Won |
| 2005 | Mayor - Rota | Joseph Songao Inos | 511 | 36.11% | 1st | Won |
| 2009 | Mayor - Tinian & Aquiguan | Jose Pangelinan Borja San Nicolas (incumbent) | 565 | 44.81% | 2nd | Lost |
| 2009 | Mayor - Northern Islands | Ramona Taisakan Rebuenog | 68 | 49.64% | 2nd | Lost |