Guam’s 2026 governor’s race is the most crowded in the island’s history

For the 2026 Guam gubernatorial election, six teams are running. This sets a new record for the highest number of teams participating in the election. The field includes two Republican teams, three Democratic teams, and one Independent team. On the legislative side, 18 Democrats and 18 Republicans are hoping to take one of the 15 seats available. As a result, the race for the 39th Legislature will be highly competitive.

The Independent team consists of Jeffrey Pleadwell (I) and Charlie Hermosa (I). They are campaigning on a vision of a rightsized government that hires the right people for the right positions. Pleadwell stresses that he is not a politician, but rather a successful businessman. He plans to make the government more efficient to benefit ordinary citizens.

“The government needs help. The people here have lost control. It’s become an elite government, where the average employee doesn’t have as much,” Pleadwell says in an interview with the Pacific Island Times. 

The Independent team will face an uphill battle because Independent candidates have a higher voter threshold, and voters cannot cross over between party ballots.

Of the Democrats, the first to file their bid for the gubernatorial election are Senator Joe San Agustin (D) and Dwayne San Nicolas (D). After them are Senators Therese Terlaje (D) and Sabina Perez (D), and finally, Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio (D) and Senator Tina Muna Barnes (D).

“The people are going through difficult times and challenging times. We need to figure out a way to get it done,” San Agustin told the Pacific Daily News. “I mean, just look around—are you happy with what you’re dealing with?” 

In the Republican field, there is Speaker Frank Blas Jr. (R) and former Guam Community College President Dr. Mary A.Y. Okada (R). Running against them will be Vice Speaker Tony Ada (R) and businessman EJ Calvo (R).

Blas Jr. has said in an interview with the Pacific Daily News that he wishes to ensure “that this is the government of the people and by the people.”

Guam is headed into a crowded gubernatorial election for the 2026 season. As Guam Election Commission executive director Maria Pangelinan says, “we’re looking forward to higher voter turnout.” As a result of so many candidates, appealing to the voters becomes more crucial. With six sitting senators in the gubernatorial race, six seats are up for grabs for newcomers. The 2026 season may be one of Guam’s most competitive elections yet.