Edward_Diego_Reyes

Edward Diego Reyes

Edward Diego Reyes

Guamanian politician

Edward Diego "Eddie" Reyes (January 24, 1930 – April 14, 2018) was a Guamanian politician and retired United States Air Force colonel. Reyes served as the 4th Lieutenant Governor of Guam from January 3, 1983, to January 5, 1987, under Governor Ricardo Bordallo, having been elected in 1982 as Bordallo's running mate.[1]

Quick Facts 4th Lieutenant Governor of Guam, Governor ...

Early life

He was born on January 24, 1930, to his parents Juan Reyes and Ana Guevara.

Political career

1978 Borallo-Reyes Campaign

In 1978, incumbent Guam Governor Ricardo Bordallo, a Democrat, lost re-election to Republican Paul McDonald Calvo.[2] Four years later, Bordallo, who planned a political comeback, once again announced his candidacy for Governor.[2] Bordallo chose U.S. Air Force Colonel Edward Diego Reyes, a political unknown with no previous experience in elected office as his running mate.[2][3] Reyes, a Vietnam War veteran with several awards and honors, retired from the U.S. Air Force following a 28-year career in order to enter the race with Bordallo.[3]

1982 Borallo-Reyes Campaign

Bordallo and Reyes were challenged in the 1982 Democratic gubernatorial primary by Bordallo's former Lt. Governor Rudy Sablan and his running mate, Joe Leon Guerrero.[3] However, Bordallo-Reyes easily defeated Sablan in the primary election by 35 percent.[3]

Bordallo and Reyes' campaign utilized the "People First" slogan in the general election campaign against Governor Paul McDonald Calvo.[3] The Bordallo-Reyes defeated incumbent Governor Calvo and his running mate, Peter F. Perez Jr., in the 1982 general election.[2][3] Bordallo won the race 1,402 votes (approximately 5%) out 28,996 votes cast.[3] Bordallo and Reyes were sworn in as Governor and Lt. Governor on January 3, 1983.

1986 Borallo-Reyes Campaign

Bordallo and Reyes sought re-election to a second term in 1986. However, Governor Bordallo was indicted in September 1986 on eleven counts of corruption.[2] Lt. Governor Reyes, who continued to support Bordallo as his running mate, was not implicated in the scandal and emerged from it with his reputation unscathed.[4] However, the chances that Bordallo-Reyes ticket would be re-elected were severely diminished by Bordallo's indictment.[4]

Bordallo-Reyes lost re-election to Republican Joseph Franklin Ada and his running mate, Frank Blas, in the general election on November 4, 1986.[4] Ada defeated Governor Bordallo by 2,581 votes (7.6%).[4]

Guam Legislature

Reyes served in the 20th and the 22nd Guam Legislatures.[5]

1994 Reyes-Nelson Campaign

In 1994, Reyes unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Guam, choosing Gloria Nelson as his running mate for Lt. Governor.[6]

Personal life and death

Reyes was married to Guadalupe "Lupe" Cruz and has four children (Johnny, Paul, Barbara and Lauren).

Reyes died on April 14, 2018, in a hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii.[7]

References

  1. [1]
    National Association of Secretaries of State Handbook. National Association of Secretaries of State. 1987.
  2. [2]
    Quinata, Nicholas Y.; Murphy, Shannon J. (2016-08-01). "Governor Ricardo J. Bordallo biography". Guampedia. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  3. [3]
    Rogers, Roger F. (April 1995). "Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam (page 270–271)". Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam (Google Books). ISBN 9780824816780. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  4. [4]
    Rogers, Roger F. (April 1995). "Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam (page 280)". Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam (Google Books). ISBN 9780824816780. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  5. [5]
    "Question of Guam: request for hearing: letter dated 30 September 1994 from Senator Edward Diego Reyes, 22nd Guam Legislature, addressed to the Chairman of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee". Dag Hammarskjöld Library. 1994-10-07. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  6. [6]
    Taitano, Zita Y. (2012-10-23). "Gloria Nelson laid to rest". Guam Daily Posy. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  7. [7]
    Former Lt. Gov. Edward "Eddie' Diego dies
More information Party political offices, Political offices ...
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Edward_Diego_Reyes, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.