7. Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003.
Hofschneider was a gubernatorial candidate in the 2001, 2005, and 2009 elections. His best gubernatorial election result came in 2009, when he was the Republican nominee for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in the 2009 gubernatorial election. Representative Arnold I. Palacios of Saipan, the Speaker of the House then, was Hofschneider’s running mate for Lieutenant Governor. Hofschneider won the initial popular vote but failed to gain a majority, triggering a runoff against the incumbent, Benigno Fitial. Fitial won the runoff by 370 votes and therefore was re-elected.
Hofschneider ran for governor again in 2014 as an independent. His running mate was independent Senator Ray Yumul of Saipan. Hofschnedier lost to the incumbent, Eloy Inos.
6. Juan Babauta
Juan Nekai Babauta is a Northern Mariana Islander politician. Babauta served as the sixth elected Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for one term from January 14, 2002 to January 9, 2006.
In 2014, Babuata decided to run for governor against incumbent Republican Eloy Inos as an independent. He cited the refusal of the Republican party to hold a primary as his reasoning, along with the introduction of casino gambling. His running mate was former Senator Juan Torres.
In 2018, Babuata again decided to run for governor as an independent, against Republican incumbent Ralph Torres. This time his running mate is former Education Commissioner Rita Aldan Sablan.
