Nine gubernatorial tickets, 10 candidates for Delegate to Congress, and 57 legislative hopefuls across both districts: Tuesday’s filing deadline cemented one of the territory’s busiest election cycles in years, closing nomination papers and locking in crowded fields stretching from Government House and Congress to the Legislature, Boards of Elections and Education, and beyond.
According to the unofficial listing released by Elections Tuesday night, the race for Government House closed with three Democratic and six Independent teams.
Democratic candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are Stacey Plaskett and Milton Potter; Donna Frett-Gregory and Rodney Moorehead; and Tregenza Roach and Novelle Francis Jr. Independent gubernatorial tickets include Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg and Positive Nelson; Stephen “Smokey” Frett and Derreck Bermudez; Roy Sheridan and Horris Graham; Gustav James and Randolph Bennett; Oakland Benta and Merwin Potter; and Warren Mosler and Colin Robertson.
The Delegate to Congress field also solidified Tuesday.
Democrats Delia Smith, former Sen. Janelle Sarauw, former Sen. Emmett Hansen, Teri Helenese, and Office of Gun Violence Prevention Executive Director Antonio Emanuel entered the race, alongside Independent candidates Brett “Mac” McClafferty, Ida Smith Alexander, Shelly Moorhead, former Sen. James Weber III, and Jed JohnHope, who was previously thought to be running for governor.
Meanwhile, legislative races drew 57 candidates territorywide — 29 on St. Thomas-St. John and 28 on St. Croix — ensuring crowded contests in both districts.
On St. Thomas-St. John, Democratic legislative hopefuls include Lorelei Marsh Monsanto, Michael A. Smith, Mayard Leader, Carla Joseph, Monique Faulkner, Avery Lewis, Shenelle Fina Francis, Ray “PuPa” Fonseca, Peter Bailey, Lawrence “Larry” Boschulte, Marvin Blyden, Kashief Hamilton, Joel Browne Conners, and Rudel Hodge Jr. Republicans Derrick Callwood, Eric Tillet, and Collister Fahie also entered the race, alongside independent candidates David Sierra, Dwayne DeGraff, Alma Francis Heyliger, Paula Duke, Sennai Habtes, Imani Daniel, Krishna Kilaru, Gregory Smith, Eugene Farrell, and Vernon Araujo.
The district’s two at-large legislative seats also drew candidates, with Angel Bolques Jr. and Hadiya Sewer filing bids.
The St. Croix field includes Democrats Dwight “Mike” Cartier, Clifford Joseph, Hubert Frederick, Lynda “Nikki” Brooks, Kurt Vialet, Jose “Besse” Gonzalez, Ophelia Williams-Jackson, Kenneth “Kenny” Gittens, Lisa Charles, and Omar Henry. Independent candidates include Mutasem Mustafa, Elizabeth Hansen Watley, Alvin Milligan, Franklin Johnson, Diane Prosper, Tyler Fay, Luz Browne, Jaylen Gabriel, Bianca Francis, Samuel Carrion, Julian Veira, Troy Mason, Jay Watson, Norman Jn Baptiste, Troy Williams, Gage Edmunds, and Nereida Rivera O’Reilly.
Board races also took shape Tuesday. Candidates filing for the Board of Education include D’Vonte Xavier, Judy Gomez, Michelle Cawthron, and Arah Lockhart on St. Thomas-St. John, alongside Bruce Flamon running as an independent candidate. On St. Croix, Winona Hendricks, Mojania “Mo” Denis, Christopher Jacobs Jr., and Terrence Joseph filed as Democrats, while Vincent Gordon Jr. and Lucy Jackson entered as independents.
Board of Elections races also drew candidates in both districts. St. Thomas-St. John candidates include Atanya Springette, Joycelyn Jacobs, Barbara Petersen, Preston Evans, Kevin Rodriguez, and Raven Phillips, alongside Republican Harriet Mercer. On St. Croix, Mary “Peggy” Moorhead, Juliet Liburd, Kareem Francis, and Shamari Haynes filed paperwork, while Franz Christian Jr. entered as a Republican candidate.
Shortly after 3 p.m., Frett-Gregory and Moorehead arrived at Elections to formally file paperwork for governor and lieutenant governor, framing the campaign as one centered on execution and responsiveness.
“The people have a point, and it’s time for leadership that really cares about the people,” Frett-Gregory said. “It’s time for leadership that listens, executes and delivers results.”
Asked why now, Frett-Gregory pointed to broader concerns facing residents across the territory.
“This campaign is not about regular politics,” she said. “This campaign is about delivering results. This campaign is about listening to our people. It’s about execution. It’s about delivery.”
She also argued the territory is ready for different leadership. “We are compassionate, we listen, and we deliver,” she said.
Moorehead pointed to healthcare as among the issues he believes requires greater focus moving forward, alongside broader infrastructure needs.
Minutes earlier, Daniel — also a Sixth Constitutional Convention delegate — formally filed paperwork to run for Senate on St. Thomas-St. John, campaigning on disaster recovery oversight, government modernization, and a coalition-backed platform she called “The Future.”
Daniel said she is running as part of a political action committee-backed coalition of 11 candidates emphasizing policy areas including healthcare, disaster preparedness, education, culture, agriculture and environmental protection.
“If we’re able to work collaboratively with our strategic plan, we can really move things forward in an innovative strategic way in the Virgin Islands,” Daniel said.
A central piece of Daniel’s campaign is disaster recovery oversight — particularly how lawmakers monitor billions in remaining federal recovery funding.
“I think it’s in all of our best interests to spend the rest of that $20 billion on the timeline that the feds have given us,” Daniel said. “If we give any of it back, that’s a loss for all of us.”
“We’ve been given a true offering and a true blessing to be able to have this money to really improve the built infrastructure of the Virgin Islands,” she added.
Daniel said disaster preparedness must extend beyond infrastructure projects.
“It’s also about building a culture of preparedness,” she said. “We’re some of the most vulnerable Americans when it comes to climate change.”
Daniel also called for stronger legislative oversight, procurement reform, modernization of the Virgin Islands Code, closer review of boards overseeing semi-autonomous agencies, and increased scrutiny of executive branch spending and recovery projects.
She also pointed to voter participation as central to the coalition’s goals, particularly among younger Virgin Islanders.
“Whether you vote for us or not, we need to be civically engaged,” Daniel said. “It’s just time for us to take responsibility for our present and our future.”
