Garcia-Salimbangon versus Davide-Durano
The only way by which the next Cebu gubernatorial race shall be evened up is for Governor Hilario P. Davide III to get Ramon Durano V (or any Ramon Durano by any number) to run as his vice governor. Davide is from Argao in the south and the Duranos are from Danao in the north. Gwen is from Dumanjug (if the Garcias want to run in the seventh district, they are from that town) and from Barili (if they want to run in the third), and Benhur Salimbangon is from the northern most, the fourth district.
If and when these combinations would come about, Gwendolyn Garcia and Benhur Salimbangon will have a winning edge in the third and the fourth, a fighting chance in the sixth, and half a chance in the seventh. Considering that Dumanjug has the biggest voting population in that southern district. But the Gracias lost the mayoralty in Dumanjug during the last elections. On the other hand, Jun-Jun Davide will dominate the second district, especially Argao and Dalaguete which control more than one-half of the votes in the second district. Jun-Jun has a better chance than Gwen in the seventh district because the incumbent governor has good and loyal followers among the mayors including Dumanjug.
The gubernatorial election will then be decided in the vote-rich first district. The winner most probably shall be whoever will get the blessings of Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas and Congressman Samsam Gullas. The Gullases have always been aligned with the Garcias, but since Davide is very “cariñoso” we can never tell. Remember that my Ninong Eddiegul has very high respect for Jun-Jun’s father, Noy Jun Davide, the former chief justice. Besides, Sibonga is decidedly pro-Davide and that is a big slice of the first district vote. Thus, Carcar, Minglanilla, Naga, and San Fernando will be the deciding factors in the overall race.
If and when Durano will not join the Davide bandwagon, Jun-Jun can try the unthinkable and that is to offer to Samsam Gullas, or Jonas Cortes, or even Peter John Calderon the vice governorship. But then again they are both from the south. Besides, why would a congressman want to be vice governor?
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