Outgoing Speaker: Looking forward to newly elected GOP majority

For the fourth election in a row, Speaker Therese Terlaje with the democratic party is once again the top vote getter and by a notable margin. 

“I want to thank them especially for their vote of confidence in me and my leadership, the hard work that I've done and my integrity. I was really humbled to be placed even higher than the next democrat vote getter and 3000 votes higher than the top Republican vote getter. It’s really humbling,” said Terlaje. 

She’s served four terms as senator, and two of them as the Speaker.   

But once the newly elected body gets sworn in, Terlaje will no longer lead the legislature as the republicans regain control with a 9-6 majority for the first time since 2006.   

Still, she’s in good spirits. 

“(I’m) not concerned. No, actually, I’m looking forward to it. I think everyone, they’re beginning with clean slates so we have a great chance to work together. I think if they’re true to their promises to the people– it’s really the people we all answer to, so they have to answer to the promises they’ve made to them,” she added. 

Come January, senators with the GOP will convene in a caucus to decide who will guide the body next. 

Whoever they pick will be Guam’s fifth republican speaker. 

There will also be new faces chairing all legislative committees. 

For Terlaje, that means she will no longer be the Chair of the Committee on Health, Land, Justice, and Culture, which she held the past two terms. 

“That’s a lot of hard work so I wish the next committee chair well in that regard. And I’m willing to help in any way that I can, these committee chairs and leadership in the transition. All I want to see is a fair and efficient legislature working for the people because that is what the people deserve,” she said. 

But before Terlaje hands over her office, the busy work will continue.

“We’re anticipating at least one more session before the end of the term. We’ve still got some bills that I’m sure the senators and all the sponsors would like for those to get passed while they’re in this last month or last two months of the term,” she said.  

Three bills are already up for a public hearing by Thursday afternoon.

As for who could be the next Speaker among the nine republicans elected in the 38th, we'll have to wait and see what the GOP decides come January.