1. Juan Nekai Babauta was born on September 7,1953 and is a Northern Mariana Islander politician who served as the sixth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 14,2002, to January 9,2006.
28 Facts About Juan Babauta
1. 2.
Juan Babauta was born in Tanapag, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on September 7,1953.
3.
Juan Babauta is the oldest of his family's nine children.
4.
Juan Babauta attended a summer session at Johnson State College of Vermont in 1976.
5.
Juan Babauta received a Bachelor of Science degree in American history and political science from Eastern New Mexico University in 1976 and a Master of Arts in political science from ENMU that same year.
6.
In 1979, Juan Babauta completed a Master of Science degree in health planning and administration from the University of Cincinnati.
7.
Juan Babauta 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.
8.
Juan Babauta was elected to the Northern Mariana Islands Senate in November 1985 representing the 3rd Senatorial District, which encompassed Saipan and the Northern Islands Municipality.
9.
Juan Babauta took office in January 1986 and served for one, four-year term in the Fifth and Sixth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislatures.
10.
Juan Babauta served as the Senate floor leader from January 1986 to January 1988 and the chairman of the Fiscal Affairs committee from January 1986 until August 1987.
11.
Juan Babauta 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.
12.
Juan Babauta introduced The Education Act of 1988 as a Senator.
13.
In November 1989, Juan Babauta was elected as the third Resident Representative of the Northern Mariana Islands in Washington DC He took office in January 1990, succeeding Froilan Tenorio.
14.
Juan Babauta served as Resident Representative for three 4-year terms from January 1990 until leaving office in January 2002 to become governor.
15.
In November 2001, Juan Babauta was elected Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in the four-way gubernatorial election as a Republican.
16.
Juan Babauta defeated Covenant Party candidate Benigno Fitial, Democrat Jesus Borja and former Governor and then Reform Party candidate Froilan Tenorio, respectively.
17.
Juan Babauta was defeated for re-election in the 2005 gubernatorial election.
18.
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.
19.
Juan Babauta was defeated in the Republican primary election on June 27,2009, by Heinz Hofschneider.
20.
Hofschneider received 3,382 votes in the primary election, while Juan Babauta garnered 2,986 votes.
21.
Juan Babauta reiterated a unity pledge with Hofschneider after the primary and endorsed Hofschneider in his bid for the governorship.
22.
Juan Babauta worked as the publisher of Homeland Magazine from 2007 until 2009.
23.
Juan Babauta faced Sablan, as well as Democrat Jesus Borja and Covenant candidate Joseph Camacho in the 2010 United States House of Representatives election in the Northern Mariana Islands on November 2,2010.
24.
Sablan won re-election to a second term, while Juan Babauta placed third in the race.
25.
In 2014, Juan Babauta decided to run for governor against incumbent Republican Eloy Inos as an independent.
26.
Juan Babauta cited the refusal of the Republican party to hold a primary as his reasoning, along with the introduction of casino gambling.
27.
Juan Babauta's running mate was former Senator Juan Sablan Torres.
28.
In 2018, Juan Babauta again decided to run for governor as an independent, against Republican incumbent Ralph Torres.