by Nick Delgado

Guam - Governor Benigno Fitial will remain in his seat as governor for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Fitial, along with his running mate, Lieutenant Governor Eloy Inos received a total of 6,610 votes after the results were certified yesterday from the runoff election. Fitial and Inos trumped their opponents Heinz Hofschneider and Arnold Palacios by 307 votes.

In a new release today, Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo congratulated Governor Fitial on his re-election. "His re-election will maintain the continuity in leadership during this critical time for the CNMI," she wrote. "I look forward to working with Governor Fitial further on issues important to the economic well being of our region, and I congratulate him on his election victory."

Fitial and Inos will also be the first to enter into a five-year term after a legislative initiative move forward that now requires general elections to be held on even-numbered years.