Incumbent
President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. and Sen. Surangel Whipps Jr. will fight it
out for the presidency on Nov. 1 after the absentee ballots were counted on Tuesday.
On
Sept. 29, Whipps in his official Facebook page stated that the campaign in the remaining
weeks to the Nov. 1 race will be in higher gear.
The
tabulation for votes for all of Palau was completed yesterday afternoon. What are
left are the absentee ballots that will be counted next Tuesday. Valerie and I thank
you for believing in our vision – “A Kot a Rechader Belau”. We are encouraged
by the results that affirm the majority of the voters want change. We’ve
already put our workers in higher gear because you and your families deserve
better than the status quo. We humbly ask you now to please keep our massage
strong among your families and friends as we enter the last few weeks of the race.”
Remengesau
in an interview says he expects the campaign to heat up but is “humbled by the
continuing show of support and trust.”
After
the absentee ballots were counted, Remengesau widened his lead against Whipps
Jr. The President admits that this is a “hard election” for him personally
because his challenger is his brother-in-law.
“This
is an unusual election not only for me but for the history of presidential
elections in Palau. I really wish it wasn’t the case.” He said that before you
give to the public office, you ask for the support of your family, friends, relatives
and in-law.”
Remengesau
said that although family ties in politics is not unusual, he reveled that
running against Whipps is affecting family relationships.
“Public
service is always a family matter,” Remengesau said. Whipps for his part has
said in earlier statements regarding his relationship to Remengesau, “This
position is not a family seat, but belongs to the public.”
Pierantozzi
meanwhile said that the “people have already spoken” in regards to the primary
election results.
When
asked about whom she will support in the presidential race, she says she is “weighing
her options.”
Bells
declined to comment on the matter.
Source: Tia Belau
