Arnold Palacios

{{short description|Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands since 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Arnold Palacios

| image = Arnold Palacios.jpg

| order = 10th

| office = Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands

| president =

| lieutenant = Dave Apatang

| term_start = January 9, 2023

| term_end =

| predecessor = Ralph Torres

| successor =

| office1 = 12th Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands

| governor1 = Ralph Torres

| term_start1 = January 14, 2019

| term_end1 = January 9, 2023

| predecessor1 = Victor Hocog

| successor1 = David M. Apatang

| office2 = 19th President of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate

| term_start2 = January 10, 2017

| term_end2 = January 14, 2019

| predecessor2 = Frank Borja

| successor2 = Victor Hocog

| office3 = 13th Speaker of the
Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives

| term_start3 = January 14, 2008

| term_end3 = January 11, 2010

| predecessor3 = Oscar M. Babauta

| successor3 = Froilan Tenorio

| birth_name = Arnold Indalecio Palacios

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|08|22|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Saipan, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (now Northern Mariana Islands)

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Republican (before 2021, 2024–present)

| education = Portland State University (BS)

| otherparty = Independent (2021–2024)

}}

Arnold Indalecio Palacios (born August 22, 1955) is a Northern Marianan politician currently serving as the tenth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, since 2023. 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 and personal life

Palacios was born August 22, 1955, on Saipan, the son of Dr. Francisco T. Palacios, a member of the Marianas Political Status Commission.{{cite book|chapter=N Mariana Islands Lt. Governor Arnold Palacios|title=NLGA Members Bio Book|access-date=June 10, 2024|publisher=National Lieutenant Governors Association|date=January 20, 2022|url=https://nlga.us/wp-content/uploads/2022-NLGA-Members-Bio-Book-January-2022-1.pdf|page=30}}{{cite news|title=Palacios, Sablan cast early votes on Citizenship Day|first=Emmanuel T.|last=Erediano|date=November 7, 2022|access-date=June 10, 2024|url=https://www.mvariety.com/news/palacios-sablan-cast-early-votes-on-citizenship-day/article_e5fd83a6-5dd2-11ed-8007-ab2984941871.html|newspaper=Marianas Variety}} Palacios graduated from Portland State University with a BS in business administration.{{cite news |title=Representative Arnold I. Palacios |url=http://www.cnmileg.gov.mp/index.cfm?pageID=40 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717134902/http://www.cnmileg.gov.mp/index.cfm?pageID=40 |archive-date=2011-07-17 |access-date=2009-10-11 |work=Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature}}{{cite web |title=Gov. Arnold Palacios |url=https://www.nga.org/governor/gov-arnold-palacios/ |website=National Governors Association |access-date=2024-01-06}} Palacios is married to Wella Sablan Palacios and they have four children: Arnold Gerard, Nicole, Tiana, and Eric. He served as the Director of Fish and Wildlife during the 1990s.{{cite book|title=State Administrative Officials Classified by Function|year=1991|page=114|chapter=Fish and Wildlife

|location=Lexington, Kentucky|publisher=Council of State Governments|isbn=0872929620|url=https://archive.org/details/stateadministrat0000unse_s1o2/page/n3/mode/2up?q=%22Arnold+I.+Palacios%22|via=Internet Archive}}

Political career

Palacios represented Election District 3 in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, which encompasses portions of Saipan and the Northern Islands.{{Cite web |last=Limol |first=K.-Andrea Evarose |title=UPDATED: Team Palacios-Apatang wins |url=https://www.mvariety.com/news/updated-team-palacios-apatang-wins/article_eb5b2da4-6cc7-11ed-a3ca-d7ac8522e261.html |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Marianas Variety News & Views |language=en}} He served as the Speaker of the House after being sworn in on January 14, 2008 during the 16th Legislature.{{cite news|first=Arnold I. |last=Palacios |title='Restore the people's confidence in Legislature' |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=3&newsID=76064 |work=Saipan Tribune |date=2008-01-14 |access-date=2009-10-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224074434/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=3&newsID=76064 |archive-date=2012-02-24 }}

Palacios was the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Heinz Hofschneider in the 2009 gubernatorial election.{{cite news |last=Eugenio |first=Haidee V. |date=2009-11-23 |title=CNMI holds first runoff election |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=95301&cat=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112021521/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=95301&cat=1 |archive-date=2012-01-12 |access-date=2009-11-23 |work=Saipan Tribune}} 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.

Between 2010 and 2014, Palacios served as Secretary of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources under Governor Eloy Inos.{{cite news |last=Eugenio |first=Haidee V. |title=Igisomar is GOP's bet for special election |date=September 16, 2014 |newspaper=Saipan Tribune |access-date=May 14, 2024 |url=https://www.saipantribune.com/featured/igisomar-is-gop-s-bet-for-special-election/article_8d6ab624-181b-5c09-8184-1a5629d9fb0e.html}}

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).{{cite news|title=Old guard, new faces recognize CNMI challenges|first=Mark|last=Rabago|date=November 10, 2014|newspaper=Saipan Tribune|url=https://www.saipantribune.com/news/local/old-guard-new-faces-recognize-cnmi-challenges/article_081704c6-7d28-569f-afba-a33516c41929.html|access-date=May 14, 2024}}{{cite web|title=Commonwealth Election Commission - Legislative Initiatives |url=http://www.votecnmi.gov.mp/legislative-iniatiatives |access-date=4 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022191603/http://www.votecnmi.gov.mp/legislative-iniatiatives |archive-date=October 22, 2014 |url-status=unfit }} 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.{{cite journal|last=Cruz|first=Geraldine T. (Journal Clerk)|title=Election of Floor Leader|date=January 12, 2015|journal=Senate Journal|volume=19|number=1|pages=8–9|publisher=Northern Mariana Islands Senate|access-date=May 13, 2024|url=https://cnmileg.net/documents/senate/journal/19/461.pdf}}

In the 2018 gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor Ralph Torres selected Palacios as his running mate.{{cite news |last=Villahermosa |first=Cherrie Anne E. |date=2017-11-21 |title=Torres announces Palacios as running mate for 2018 |url=https://www.postguam.com/news/cnmi/torres-announces-palacios-as-running-mate-for/article_c8155f02-cdb9-11e7-8bcf-03848c66d514.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104124356/https://www.postguam.com/news/cnmi/torres-announces-palacios-as-running-mate-for/article_c8155f02-cdb9-11e7-8bcf-03848c66d514.html |archive-date=2018-11-04 |access-date=2018-11-04 |work=The Guam Daily Post}}{{cite news |last=Encinares |first=Erwin |date=2017-11-20 |title=Torres-Palacios ticket affirmed |url=https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/torres-palacios-ticket-affirmed/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210144426/https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/torres-palacios-ticket-affirmed/ |archive-date=2018-02-10 |access-date=2018-11-04 |work=Saipan Tribune}} The ticket would go on to win in the first round, with Palacios becoming the twelfth person to serve as Lieutenant Governor.{{cite news |last=De la Torre |first=Ferdie |date=2017-01-09 |title=20th legislature to convene today |url=https://www.postguam.com/news/cnmi/th-legislature-to-convene-today/article_7266cfec-d57f-11e6-b8fe-633affefc0c6.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104133436/https://www.postguam.com/news/cnmi/th-legislature-to-convene-today/article_7266cfec-d57f-11e6-b8fe-633affefc0c6.html |archive-date=2018-11-04 |access-date=2018-11-04 |work=The Guam Daily Post}}

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.{{Cite web |last1=De La Torre |first1=Ferdie |date=2021-10-20 |title=BREAKING NEWS: Palacios to run for governor in 2022 |url=https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/breaking-news-palacios-to-run-for-governor-in-2022/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128212524/https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/breaking-news-palacios-to-run-for-governor-in-2022/ |archive-date=2021-11-28 |access-date=2021-11-28 |website=Saipan Tribune |language=en-US}} Palacios also announced that he would be running as an independent.{{Cite news |last=Erediano |first=Emmanuel T. |date=2021-10-22 |title=Palacios, Apatang vow to rebuild trust in government |url=https://mvariety.com/news/palacios-apatang-vow-to-rebuild-trust-in-government/article_fbc54ea0-326b-11ec-a4c1-bfc96964a250.html |access-date=2021-11-28 |work=Marianas Variety News & Views |location=Garapan, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands |language=en}} 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.{{Cite news |last=Manglona |first=Thomas |date=2022-11-16 |title=CNMI independents & democrats sign Unity Pledge |url=https://www.kuam.com/story/47708950/cnmi-independents-and-democrats-sign-unity-pledge |access-date=2022-11-16 |work=KUAM News |location=Dededo, Guam |language=en}} Palacios would win in the second round, with him being the first independent candidate to win a gubernatorial election in the Northern Mariana Islands.{{cite news |title=Palacios-Apatang wins gubernatorial runoff |url=https://www.mvariety.com/news/palacios-apatang-wins-gubernatorial-runoff/article_eb5b2da4-6cc7-11ed-a3ca-d7ac8522e261.html}} Following the election, Palacios appointed multiple Democrats to his cabinet, including Sablan's running mate Leila Staffler.

Palacios rejoined the Republican Party in December 2024.{{cite news |last=Erediano |first=Emmanuel T. |date=January 2, 2025 |title=Year in Review 2024: Governor rejoins Republican Party; local GOP not amused |url=https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/year-in-review-2024-governor-rejoins-republican-party-local-gop-not-amused/article_344a4c20-c5bd-11ef-9128-9f18f96b30df.html |access-date=January 11, 2025 |newspaper=Marianas Variety}} 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. Palacios reportedly made this decision in coordination with the national party, without consulting the local party leadership in the Northern Mariana Islands.