Heinz Hofschneider

Heinz Sablan Hofschneider was born July 1, 1957, in Saipan to William Villagomez Hofschneider and Primitiba Roberto Sablan. He attended Menlo College in Atherton, California, for two years. Due to the cost, he transferred to California State University at Los Angeles. At Cal State, he majored in health sciences then worked as a physician assistant.{{cite interview|last=Hofschneider|first=Heinz|interviewer1=Deanne C. Siemer |interviewer2=Howard P. Willens|title=Interview of Heinz S. Hofschneider|work=Oral Histories|publisher=Northern Marianas Humanities Council|location=Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands|date=February 9, 1997|url=https://www.nmhcouncil.org/nmhc_archives/Oral%20Histories/Hofschnieder,%20Heinz%20S.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026064312/https://www.nmhcouncil.org/nmhc_archives/Oral%20Histories/Hofschnieder,%20Heinz%20S.pdf|archive-date=October 26, 2021|accessdate=December 19, 2021}} Hofschneider's wife is Susan Sablan Hofschneider and they have two children.{{cite web |title=Death and Funeral Announcement for Joaquin Leon Guerrero Sablan |work=Mariana's Variety |volume=25 |number=25 |page=19 |date=April 19, 1996 |accessdate=September 28, 2021 |url=https://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10524/50679/1/Marianas%20Variety%20Vol.%2025%2c%20No.%2025%2c%201996-04-19.pdf}}

Hofschneider was first elected to the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives in the 1991 general election. He finished second for six seats in the third district.{{cite news|last=Arroyo|first=Rafael H.|title=Republicans Rule 1991 Polls|newspaper=Mariana's Variety|volume=20|number=67|date=November 5, 1991|access-date=September 28, 2021|url=https://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10524/49731/Marianas%20Variety%20Vol.%2020%2c%20No.%2067%2c%201991-11-05.pdf}} Later that year, after Governor Larry Guerrero purchased a $5 million generator from Mitsubishi without a budget appropriation, Hofschneider was one of three legislators to speak of impeaching the Governor. Subsequently, his home was attacked in a drive-by shooting. After the House dropped the impeachment inquiry one month after the shooting, Hofschneider attempted an audit of Mitsubishi. The audit revealed Guerrero misappropriated funds.{{cite journal|last=McPhetres|first=Samuel F.|title=Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 1992 to 30 June 1993 – Northern Mariana Islands|journal=The Contemporary Pacific|volume=6|number=1|year=1994|pages=166–169|publisher=University of Hawaiʻi Press}}

In 1993, Hofschneider was re-elected as an independent after being dropped from the Republican ticket in light of his criticism of Guerrero. He finished in first place in the district{{cite news|last=Arroyo|first=Rafael H.|title=Tenorio is governor|newspaper=Mariana's Variety|volume=22|number=170|page=5|date=November 8, 1993|access-date=September 28, 2021|url=https://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10524/50128/1/Marianas%20Variety%20Vol.%2022%2c%20No.%20170%2c%201993-11-08.pdf}}

In 2000, Hofschneider was running against Benigno Fitial for the position of Speaker. During the election, Jack Abramoff sent two operatives to the islands to lobby legislators on Fitial's behalf. Fitial was subsequently reelected as Speaker and Abramoff's contract was extended.{{cite book|last=Continetti|first=Matthew|title=The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Republican Machine|date=April 18, 2006|isbn=9780385518734|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|access-date=September 28, 2021|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gqw1rBTtYSoC}} During the 14th Commonwealth Legislature, Hofschneider was voted as the House Minority Leader.{{cite journal|last=Palacios|first=Lavida S. Journal Clerk|title=Communications|journal=House Journal|volume=14|number=1|page=6|date=January 12, 2004|access-date=May 14, 2024|url=https://cnmileg.net/documents/house/journal/14/256.pdf}}

In the 2018 general election, Hofschneider ran as an independent for the Northern Mariana Islands Senate in the 3rd senatorial district. He ran as an ally of the gubernatorial ticket of Juan Babauta and Rita Aldan Sablan.{{cite news|last=Perez|first=Jon|title=Heinz throws hat in Senate race|newspaper=Saipan Tribune|date=June 26, 2018|access-date=September 28, 2021|url=https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/heinz-throws-hat-in-senate-race/}} Hofschneider received 3,813 votes and finished fourth of five candidates for two seats.{{cite web|title=2018 General Election Certified Election Results|publisher=Commonwealth Election Commission|access-date=September 28, 2021|url=https://www.votecnmi.gov.mp/archive/97-archive/election-results/125-2018-general-election-results}}

Hofschneider was a gubernatorial candidate in the 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2014 elections.

In the 2005 gubernatorial election, Hofschneider ran on a ticket with David M. Apatang. While both Hofschneider and Apatang were Republicans, they ran as independents.{{cite news|first=Criselda B.|last=Hernandez|title=Politics: 4-Way Gubernatorial Election Heats Up|url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=5405/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl|work=Islands Business|year=2005|accessdate=2009-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223221055/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=5405/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl|archive-date=2012-02-23|url-status=dead}} The 2005 election was particularly bitter as families faced divided loyalties and a record amount of money was raised and spent on attack ads. In a four-way race, the Hofschneider{{spaced endash}}Apatang ticket lost to Benigno Fitial and Timothy Villagomez of the Covenant Party by a single point.{{cite journal|last=McPhetres|first=Samuel F.|title=Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands|journal=The Contemporary Pacific: A Journal of Island Affairs|volume=19|number=1|year=2007|page=190|publisher=University of Hawaiʻi Press|access-date=September 24, 2021|url=https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/053984cc-3066-4189-9c87-85fe6949c14a/content}}

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.{{cite news |first=Gemma Q.|last=Casas |title=Registered voters up by 15% |url=http://www.mvarietynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20879:rifle-stolen-from-a-car-&catid=17:palau-news&Itemid=5 |work=Marianas Variety News & Views |date=2009-10-13 |accessdate=2009-10-12}} 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.{{cite news|first=Haidee V. |last=Eugenio |title=Independents to seal Heinz or Fitial victory |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=94934 |work=Saipan Tribune |date=2009-11-09 |accessdate=2009-11-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308203928/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=94934 |archive-date=2012-03-08 }}{{cite news|first=Haidee V. |last=Eugenio |title=CNMI holds first runoff election |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=95301&cat=1 |work=Saipan Tribune |date=2009-11-23 |accessdate=2009-11-23 |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 }} Fitial won the runoff by 370 votes and therefore was re-elected.{{cite news|first=Haidee V. |last=Eugenio |title=Fitial seals victory with 370 lead |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=95662 |work=Saipan Tribune |date=2009-12-08 |accessdate=2009-12-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814231428/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=95662&cat=1 |archive-date=2011-08-14 }}

Hofschneider ran a fourth time for governor in 2014 as an independent. His running mate was independent Senator Ray Yumul of Saipan.{{cite news|last=Eugenio |first=Haidee V. |date=April 8, 2014 |title=Independent bid for Babauta, Torres |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=154834 |newspaper=Saipan Tribune |accessdate=April 8, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408214800/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=154834 |archive-date=April 8, 2014 }} Hofschnedier lost to the incumbent, Eloy Inos.

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140408215449/http://www.heinzandray2014.com/ Heinz Hofschneider campaign]

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{{s-bef|before=Juan Babauta}}

{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands|years=2009}}

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Category:1957 births

Category:Chamorro people

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives

Category:People from Saipan

Category:Republican Party (Northern Mariana Islands) politicians

Category:Speakers of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives

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