Ed Propst | |
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Majority Leader of Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives | |
Assumed office January 9, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Ralph Yumul |
Member of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives from the 1st district | |
Assumed office January 12, 2015 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Edwin Kenneth Propst February 14, 1971 Samoa |
Political party | Independent (before 2020) Democratic (since 2020) |
Spouse | Daisy Manglona |
Children | 4 |
Education | Northern Marianas College University of Hawaii, Manoa (BA) |
Edwin Kenneth Propst (born February 14, 1971) is a politician from the Northern Mariana Islands. Propst has served in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives representing Precinct 1 since January 12, 2015.
Early life and career
[edit]Edwin Kenneth Propst was born in Samoa on February 14, 1971[1][2] to Ivan, an employee of the Trust Territory Department of Education from Illinois, and Juanita Palman, who was from the Philippines.[3][4] Propst is the youngest of four children.[4]
He attended Northern Marianas College and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, earning a bachelor's degree in communications at the latter.[5] He has worked as a high school English teacher and at Northern Marianas College as an administrator.[5] From 2009 to 2014, he managed the Head Start program within the Northern Marianas public school system.[5] He also owns a photography business.[5] Propst is married to Daisy Pangelinan Manglona and has four children.[4] They live in Dandan, Saipan.[5][1]
CNMI Legislature
[edit]He previously served as minority leader from December 2018 until a coalition of Democrats snd independents won a majority in the 2020 general election.[6] Propst is a member of the House Education, Federal & Foreign Affairs, Judiciary & Governmental Operations, and Ways & Means committees and the chair of the Gaming Committee.[7]
In December 2021, Propst was the subject of allegations of physical threats, made by a senior policy advisor from the office of the Governor.[8] The complaint was forwarded to the House of Representatives' ethics committee.[9]
At the start of the 23rd Commonwealth Legislature, on January 9, 2023, Representative Ralph Naraja Yumul, floor leader during the 22nd Commonwealth Legislature, nominated Propst to serve as the Floor Leader in the House. The House voted by acclimation to elect Propst to the position.[10]
Electoral history
[edit]2014
[edit]Propst, as an independent, was first elected to the Northern Marianas Islands House of Representatives in 2014, finishing second of seventeen candidates for six seats.[11]
2016
[edit]Propst was the top voter getting finishing first of eleven candidates for six seats. He received 2,024 votes.[12]
2018
[edit]In 2018, Propst was reelected to the House finishing first of thirteen candidates for six seats.[13]
2020
[edit]In June 2020, Propst, and fellow incumbents Tina Sablan, Sheila Babauta, and Richard Lizama announced that they would run on the Democratic slate for reelection.[14] In September 2020, Propst was accused of sexual misconduct, stemming from allegations dating back to his time spent working as a teacher.[15] He announced his resignation from office later that month, stating that "this job can be extremely stressful and the attacks and cyber bullying seem to only worsen with each passing day. It can break a person down mentally, emotionally, and physically. Everyone has their limits and I feel I have reached mine."[16] However, he was re-elected later that fall, with 1,891 votes, as the top vote getter in the 1st district.[5]
After the election, the Attorney General announced it would not pursue prosecution due to "insufficient factual information and legal justification for pursuing a criminal prosecution."[17]
2022
[edit]Propst was the top vote getter in the 1st district, earning 2,296 votes.[18]
2024
[edit]Incumbent Gregorio Sablan decided to retire rather than seek re-election to a ninth term in office.[19] On February 8, 2024, Propst announced his candidacy and was endorsed by Sablan to be his successor.[20] The campaign is chaired by former Representative and 2022 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tina Sablan and managed by Representative Ralph N. Yumul.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Erediano, Emmanuel T. (February 7, 2024). "Propst to run for delegate". Marianas Variety. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ Rosario, Venetia S. (February 15, 2023). "3rd Day, First Regular Session" (PDF). Legislative Journal of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives. 23 (3): 8. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
Speaker Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez: And yesterday was not only Valentine's Day, but it was also our Floor Leader's birthday.
- ^ "Juanita Palman Propst Obituary". Marianas Variety. July 15, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ a b c "A blend of cultures—superstitions and all". Saipan Tribune. April 7, 2006. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Torres, Troy (February 8, 2024). "Propst enters delegate race amid crisis he warned for years would befall the CNMI if corruption was not tamed". Kandit News Group. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ "Propst is legislature's next minority leader". Saipan Tribune. December 28, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ "Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature". Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ De La Torre, Ferdie (December 17, 2021). "Hunter files complaint against Propst over alleged physical threats". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ Manglona, Thomas (February 17, 2022). "Ethics committee addresses sexual assault, abuse allegations facing Propst". Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ Rosario, Venetia S. (House Journal Clerk) (January 9, 2024). "1st Day, First Regular Session" (PDF). Legislative Journal of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives. 23 (1): 6. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "Commonwealth Election Commission - Election 2014 Results". Archived from the original on November 30, 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "2016 CNMI General Election Results". Commonwealth Election Commission. Archived from the original on 2017-10-14. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "2018 CNMI General Election Results". Commonwealth Election Commission. Archived from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ Manglona, Thomas (June 19, 2020). "CNMI's democrats looking for a comeback". www.kuam.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ Limol, K-Andrea Evarose S. (September 10, 2020). "Rep. Propst accused of sexual misconduct". The Guam Daily Post. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ "'Everyone has their limits': Rep. Propst resigns". The Guam Daily Post. September 29, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ Manabat, Byron (January 14, 2021). "Citing statute of limitations, other reasons, AG's office declines to prosecute Rep. Propst". Marianas Variety. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ "2022 Official General Election and Run-Off Results". Commonwealth Election Commission. 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
- ^ Manglona, Thomas (January 18, 2024). "NMI Del. Sablan will not seek re-election after 16 years in office". www.kuam.com. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
- ^ Erediano, Emmanuel (February 29, 2024). "Kilili endorses Propst". Marianas Variety. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ Erediano, Emmanuel (February 7, 2024). "Propst to run for delegate". Marianas Variety. Retrieved February 16, 2024.