John deJongh, a civic-minded businessman from St. Thomas,
easily won the Democratic primary to become the party’s candidate for
Governor in the November general election. He and his running mate, St.
Croix’s Gregory Francis, will run against Kenneth Mapp and Almando Liburd and Sen. Adlah Donastorg Jr. and Cora Christian. This was DeJongh’s second try at the gubernatorial job; he ran four years ago as an independent but lost to Charles Turnbull.
The winning candidates garnered almost 52% of the votes cast in what
is reported to have been a record-setting turnout during last
Saturday’s voting. During the campaign, DeJongh visited St. John and pledged
to help the island get its own planner and to have authority over the
St. John Capital Fund, and to study whether St. John should have its
own high school.
Francis, on the ticket for Lt. Gov., told the St John Source,
"John and I want to bring the Virgin Islands back to how it used to be
– an open and respectable government for all and not just a few." A
supporter of the candidates, Steve Nisky said, "I think all of
the islands realized we had a breath of fresh air and a government
that’s going to work in the daytime, not in the late of night." More
from the Virgin Islands Daily News.