Jump to content

Arnold Palacios

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Arnold I. Palacios)

Arnold Palacios
10th Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
In office
January 9, 2023 – July 23, 2025
LieutenantDavid M. Apatang
Preceded byRalph Torres
Succeeded byDavid M. Apatang
12th Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
In office
January 14, 2019 – January 9, 2023
GovernorRalph Torres
Preceded byVictor Hocog
Succeeded byDave 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)August 22, 1955
Saipan, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (now Northern Mariana Islands)
DiedJuly 23, 2025(2025-07-23) (aged 69)
Dededo, Guam
Political partyRepublican (before 2021, 2024–2025)
Independent (2021–2024)
SpouseWella Palacios
Children4
EducationPortland State University (BS)

Arnold Indalecio Palacios (August 22, 1955 – July 23, 2025) was a Northern Marianan politician who served as the tenth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, from 2023 until his death in 2025. 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 life

[edit]

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] He served as the Director of Fish and Wildlife during the 1990s.[5]

Political career

[edit]

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. 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.[8][9]

Between 2010 and 2014, Palacios served as Secretary of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources under Governor Eloy Inos.[10]

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).[11][12] 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.[13]

In the 2018 gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor Ralph Torres selected Palacios as his running mate.[14][15] The ticket went on to win in the first round, with Palacios becoming the twelfth person to serve as Lieutenant Governor.[16]

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.[17] Palacios also announced that he would be running as an independent.[18] 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.[19] Palacios would win in the second round, with him being the first independent candidate to win a gubernatorial election in the Northern Mariana Islands.[20] Following the election, Palacios appointed multiple Democrats to his cabinet, including Sablan's running mate Leila Staffler.[21]

Palacios rejoined the Republican Party in December 2024.[22] 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.[22] Palacios reportedly made this decision in coordination with the national party, without consulting the local party leadership in the Northern Mariana Islands.[22]

Personal life and death

[edit]

Palacios was married to Wella Sablan Palacios and had four children.[3]

Palacios collapsed at his Capitol Hill office on July 23, 2025, and was airlifted for medical treatment to Guam Regional Medical City in Dededo, Guam.[23][24] He died hours later at the age of 69.[23]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "N Mariana Islands Lt. Governor Arnold Palacios". NLGA Members Bio Book (PDF). web.archive.org: National Lieutenant Governors Association. January 20, 2022. p. 30. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 19, 2025. 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 July 24, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
  4. ^ "Gov. Arnold Palacios". National Governors Association. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  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 November 27, 2022.
  7. ^ Palacios, Arnold I. (January 14, 2008). "'Restore the people's confidence in Legislature'". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
  8. ^ Eugenio, Haidee V. (November 23, 2009). "CNMI holds first runoff election". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
  9. ^ "2009 CNMI Run-Off Election Results". Commonwealth Election Commission. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  10. ^ Eugenio, Haidee V. (September 16, 2014). "Igisomar is GOP's bet for special election". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  11. ^ Rabago, Mark (November 10, 2014). "Old guard, new faces recognize CNMI challenges". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  12. ^ "Commonwealth Election Commission - Legislative Initiatives". Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  13. ^ Cruz, Geraldine T. (January 12, 2015). "Election of Floor Leader" (PDF). Senate Journal. 19 (1). Northern Mariana Islands Senate: 8–9. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  14. ^ Villahermosa, Cherrie Anne E. (November 21, 2017). "Torres announces Palacios as running mate for 2018". The Guam Daily Post. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  15. ^ Encinares, Erwin (November 20, 2017). "Torres-Palacios ticket affirmed". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  16. ^ De la Torre, Ferdie (January 9, 2017). "20th legislature to convene today". The Guam Daily Post. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  17. ^ De La Torre, Ferdie (October 20, 2021). "BREAKING NEWS: Palacios to run for governor in 2022". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  18. ^ Erediano, Emmanuel T. (October 22, 2021). "Palacios, Apatang vow to rebuild trust in government". Marianas Variety News & Views. Garapan, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  19. ^ Manglona, Thomas (November 16, 2022). "CNMI independents & democrats sign Unity Pledge". KUAM News. Dededo, Guam. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  20. ^ "Palacios-Apatang wins gubernatorial runoff".
  21. ^ De La Torre, Ferdie (March 30, 2023). "Senate confirms Staffler, 4 others". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ a b Rabago, Mark; Gilbert, Haidee Eugenio (July 23, 2025). "CNMI Gov. Arnold Palacios dies Wednesday night, hours after airlifted to Guam for medical treatment". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
  24. ^ Licanto, Nestor (July 23, 2025). "CNMI Gov. Palacios medevaced to Guam". Post Guam. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
[edit]
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
2023–2025
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arnold_Palacios&oldid=1303265652"