The first People’s Convention of the Crucian Coalition on Sunday chose seven senators to gather behind for the upcoming election.
Out of the 10 senatorial hopefuls who laid out their views on issues including the economy, health care, the environment, education and labor, some 200 coalition members endorsed incumbent Sens. Adelbert Bryan, Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, and Almando "Rocky" Liburd and hopefuls Raymond "Usie" Richards, Gail Watson Chiang, Lorraine Gibbs and Lilliana Belardo De O'Neal.
Coalition members were given the opportunity to rate the candidates after 15-minute presentations. Supervisor of Elections John Abramson Jr. served as moderator.
The Crucian Coalition, which was established last February, will now gather its resources behind the chosen candidates, who pledged to work together for the benefit of St. Croix, said Mario Moorhead, the coalition’s director.
There are 24 candidates altogether running for the six senatorial seats on St. Croix, but only 10 of them showed up at the convention, held at the St. Croix Educational Complex. Democratic candidates boycotted the event.