Obama Wins Guam: Americans Ask, "Where's Guam? Is that Part of Indiana?"

According to the Associated Press, Barack Obama narrowly eked out a victory in the US Territory of Guam's caucus, scoring 2,264 votes to Hillary Clinton's 2,257 or 50.1% to 49.9%.  Yes, that's a win by seven votes. The results are not official, and KUAM reports that in the city of Dededo, a Clinton stronghold, there were a high number of spoiled ballots. According to Guampdn.com, Democratic caucuses normally have about 1,000 voters, but with over 4,500 votes cast, this was a record turnout.

As a US territory, Guamanians do not have the right to vote in the November election, but can send 8 pledged delegates (each with a half vote) to the Democratic National Convention in August. There are 5 additional superdelegates who will be voting from Guam.  One of the superdelegates has pledged to Obama already.

The island of Guam is the largest island in Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean, with a population just under 175,000.  Guam was a Spanish colony until being taken by the US in the Spanish-American war.  It was occupied by the Japanese from 1941 until the Battle of Guam on July 21, 1944, when it was retaken by the Americans. The main industry is tourism.*

*Information on Guam provided by my husband, Frank S., the well-traveled human atlas, who has actually been there.

Comments

[Daisy]

At seven votes, will there be a recount? If it's winner takes all, Senator Clinton might think it's worth a shot.

[Julie Pippert]

A friend of mine was from Guam. Moved here for college and stayed. Anyway, people used to always say, "Wow, your English is so good...how did you learn English?" And she'd just shake her head. I told her to take heart...someone asked me if they needed international postage to New Mexico.

Great info from Frank!

[Glennia]

Daisy, the delegates are split, but the information from the AP was not clear on how they would be split. It looks like they both get 2 pledged delegate votes, or Obama gets 2.5 and Clinton gets 1.5. The superdelegates (other than the 1 who declared for Obama) are allowed to decide for themselves.

[debbie]

This post raises an interesting question, one that I hope will be addressed when we have a Congress who can actually accomplish a few things (since there's gonna be a Dem tsunami in November, and may I redundantly add, HALLE-FREAKIN'-LUJAH?), because -- if Guam is a US territory, are they being taxed, and if so, oughtn't they be receiving better representation? I mean, since that's supposedly the deal; taxation with representation (I still love Schoolhouse Rock fervently, yo).

Thanks, Frank! (And Glennia!)

[Obama Fan]

This was a fantastic and historic win for Barack Obama and our country! I believe he will do a great deal to attempt to unite this country!