Donastorg Will Announce Alicia Hansen As His Lieutenant Governor Pick On Saturday

Last updated: May 3, 2018 (5:54 a.m.)

ST. CROIX — Former senator Adlah Donastorg will announce Senator Alicia Hansen as his lieutenant governor choice for his general election gubernatorial bid during an event in Sion Farm on Saturday, Mr. Donastorg has confirmed to The Consortium.

The event will take place at the field near the now-shuttered Island Dairies facility, Mr. Donastorg said.

In speaking to this publication, Mr. Donastorg said he and Mrs. Hansen have been friends dating back well over a decade, and that they had supported each other during their years together in the Senate. He took a jab at the Bryan-Roach ticket, stating that Mr. Bryan had claimed not to know Mr. Roach too well — a  suggestion that appeared to say Mr. Bryan should know the person with whom he intends to lead the territory.

Mr. Donastorg denied ever choosing Michael Thurland, a former senator, as his running mate, stating that though he was seen in multiple locations with Mr. Thurland and that Mr. Thurland was on a shortlist of individuals being considered, he had not outright chosen him as a running mate. Mr. Donastorg’s denial contradicts multiple sources with knowledge of the matter, but he insisted that he hadn’t yet made the choice.

His decision to run with Mrs. Hansen was a sign that Mr. Donastorg, a Democrat, was concerned about his chances in the upcoming Democratic primary, set for Saturday, August 4. He confirmed on Tuesday night to this publication that he would indeed be running as an Independent. (It would not be Mr. Donastorg’s first time running as an Independent candidate in a gubernatorial race.)

The announcement event will include performances by major Caribbean bands, among them a well-known group from Puerto Rico, and Burning Flames out of Antigua.

Mrs. Hansen is known for bombastic political events featuring top Caribbean artists, so the team’s lineup falls in alignment with her style. The event, which Mr. Donastorg said will start at 7:00 p.m., is expected to extend into the early morning hours.

Mr. Donastorg said the ticket’s theme song is “Buss Head”, which features two of the Caribbean’s biggest Soca artists: the legends Machel Montano and Bungi Garlin. The song speaks of not being afraid while at the same time running for one’s life — in this case the current administration, Mr. Donastorg said — and it’s a message he hopes to get across during the 2018 political cycle.

If the team wins the general election, Mrs. Hansen — like Marise James, the lieutenant governor pick of candidate Angel Dawson, would become the first woman in the territory’s history to hold the second in command position. But whether the team is strong enough to win the majority of votes in November is an open question. Mrs. Hansen comes with a built-in number of votes — around 5,000 of her core supporters on St. Croix. However, her appeal beyond that remains to be seen. And Mr. Donastorg’s strength in St. Thomas has waned over the years, so whether he will be able to overcome the eventual Democratic nominee there, or Governor Kenneth Mapp for that matter, again remains to be seen.