Republicans have flipped the governorship of Guam in the first decisive result of the 2026 US midterm elections, with Vicente “Tony” Ada beating Democrat Therese Terlaje, according to final unofficial figures.
Ada and his running mate, E.J. Calvo, received 15,945 votes, or 51.45 percent, against 14,925 votes, or 48.15 percent, for Terlaje and her running mate Sabina Perez, figures from the Guam Election Commission reported by the Guam Daily Post show. The margin is 1,020 votes, with all 59 precincts counted.
Terlaje called Ada to concede the race, the Guam Daily Post reported.
End of eight years of Democratic control
The result ends eight years of Democratic control of Guam’s governorship under Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, who was term-limited and could not seek re-election. Ada is the legislature’s vice speaker; Terlaje is a territorial legislator and former speaker of the Guam Legislature.
Republicans also took a narrow edge in the territory’s legislature, holding eight of the top 15 spots in the island-wide race for the Guam Legislature, putting the party in line for a narrow majority in the incoming 39th Guam Legislature. Guam elects its 15 senators island-wide, with the top 15 vote-getters winning seats.
Trump hails the result
US President Donald Trump was quick to highlight the outcome on Truth Social, congratulating Ada and pointing to the result as a possible sign of things to come in the mainland midterm contests.
“Guam, which has always been considered strongly Democrat, just had an early call for a REPUBLICAN Victory in the top spot, Governor — Congratulations to Tony Ada!” Trump wrote. “Also, the Republicans have the Majority in the State Senate. Wow, hopefully that’s an indication for things to come!”
Trump’s reference to a “State Senate” is his wording for the Guam Legislature; Guam is a US territory, not a state, and its legislature is not a state senate.
Why Guam reports first
Guam sits west of the International Date Line, so its polls close many hours ahead of the US mainland, making it a regular source of the first election-night numbers. Its electorate is small — 31,414 ballots were cast, or 53.11 percent of Guam’s 59,146 registered voters, according to the commission figures — and its politics are driven substantially by local issues.
That is also why the result should not be read as a forecast. Guam’s voters are not a statistical sample of voters in mainland battleground states, and the territory does not cast electoral votes for president.
Results are still unofficial
The figures remain unofficial until the Guam Election Commission completes its canvass and certifies the election, scheduled for November 19. Absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day must arrive by 5 p.m. on November 18 to count, and provisional ballots are still to be processed.
If the unofficial count holds through certification, Ada and Calvo would take office in January 2027 with Republicans in line to control the legislature.
Sources
- The Economic Times: Trump hails Republican breakthrough in Guam, congratulates Tony Ada
- Politics Elections: Guam Governor Election Results — Republicans Flip the Seat (Guam Election Commission figures via Guam Daily Post)
- The Economic Times liveblog: US Midterm Elections Live Results 2026
Frequently asked questions
Who won the Guam governor’s race? Republican Tony Ada, with running mate E.J. Calvo, led Democrat Therese Terlaje by 1,020 votes in the final unofficial count.
Are the Guam results final? No. They are unofficial until the Guam Election Commission certifies them, scheduled for November 19.
Does Guam’s result predict the mainland midterms? No. Guam is a small Pacific territory with its own local politics; its result is the first reported, not a forecast for mainland races.
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