Christensen, Mapp Events Draw Thousands On Sunday

With one more day remaining before the November 4 General Elections, an election many consider to be the most critical in recent years, gubernatorial candidates Donna M. Christensen and Kenneth Mapp, along with their respective running mates, held events Sunday night that drew thousands to Christiansted for Christensen, at the Canegata Ballpark, and to Frederiksted for Mapp, across from the Paul E. Joseph stadium.

At the Mapp-Potter event, vehicles of all kinds–including motorcycle groups–lined the streets of Frederiksted, closer to the Fort Frederik beach, while hundreds stood listening to the candidate speak about his plans if elected the next governor.

Mapp-Potter campaign rally Sunday in Frederiksted.

Mapp said his team chose not to engage in dirty campaigning, and also urged his supporters to “give Jamila a vote.” The former Lieutenant Governor called upon those who support him to sign up to be volunteers for election day, as much help will be needed in order to be successful, he said. Mapp again highlighted his plan to make available 1,000 jobs upon entering office, and urged supporters to vote for Board of Elections candidates also.

At the Christensen event on the east side of the island, the crowed was comparable to Mapp’s, with vehicles lining the streets from the stoplights leading into Gallows Bay from the bypass, and all the way to Sharkey’s Bait Stand, and hugging the Canegata Ballpark. By the time this reporter arrived, Christensen had already given remarks to her massive crowd of supporters, but the VI Consortium caught up with the Delegate later in the night.

“I told them that it was St. Croix that would put us over,” Christensen said, adding that she reiterated what she’s been saying all along–that she will be the best positioned candidate to lift the territory out of its current lull, utilizing her wide pool of Washington contacts to lure new business and development to the islands.

Christensen-Ottley campaign rally Sunday in Christensted.

Although there are five candidates running to become governor, the two who have garnered the most support are Christensen and Mapp, based on recent polling results conducted by the University of the Virgin Islands. Both are widely known local entities–Mapp being a former Lieutenant Governor in the Schneider-Mapp Administration and Christensen being the territory’s Delegate to Congress for the past 18 years. However, the territory’s voters will make the final decision as to which of the five gubernatorial teams will be elected to office in less than 24 hours.