Pacific races bode well for Republicans in 2024 election

The Legislature of Guam, comprising 15 senators of whom nine are presently Democrats and six are Republicans, has been under Democratic control since March 2008 — but will be no longer.

According to the unofficial results released Tuesday and finalized early Wednesday by the Guam Election Commission, Republicans will control the legislature come January.

The Pacific Daily News noted that while Democrats clinched three of the top five spots in the race for the legislature, Republicans ultimately secured a majority with all precincts counted, such that in January, the territory's Senate will be flipped 9-6 in their favor.

Extra to flipping the legislature, Republican James Moylan, a member of Congress representing Guam's at-large congressional district, defeated his Democratic challenger, Ginger Cruz, 52.69% to 46.81%.

'The winds of change are blowing.'

While the residents of Guam cannot vote in American presidential elections, they nevertheless conduct a straw poll. In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden beat President Donald Trump in the straw poll 55.38% to 41.91%. This time around, Trump nearly closed the gap. Kamala Harris beat him in the straw poll Tuesday 49.56% to 46.22%.

Former CNN contributor Ryan Girdusky suggested that a "political realignment" appears to be under way, highlighting that in 2012, Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney in the straw poll by roughly 46 percentage points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton beat Trump in the poll by 47 points. In this election, the Republican candidate was within three points.

Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck appeared to agree, writing, "While meaningless for electoral votes, the winds of change are blowing."

Republican gains in the Pacific are not limited to Guam. Kimberlyn King-Hinds appears to have successfully beat Democrat Edwin Propst to represent Northern Mariana Islands' at-large congressional district.

According to the Saipan Tribune, Propst conceded the race early on Wednesday and congratulated King-Hinds, writing, "I wish you the very best."

At the time of publication, King-Hinds had secured 40.34% of the vote, whereas Probst netted only 33.27%.

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