--- title: Lou Leon Guerrero Elected Guam’s First Female Governor description: Democrat Lou Leon Guerrero has been elected the first female governor of Guam, beating Republican Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio by over 8,600 votes. canonical: https://time.com/5446878/lou-leon-guerrero-elected-guam-first-female-governor/ author: Alejandro de la Garza article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-11-07T00:49:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T21:57:37.468Z article:section: Politics og:title: Guam Has Just Elected Its First-Ever Female Governor og:description: She defeated her Republican opponent by more than 8,600 votes og:url: https://time.com/5446878/lou-leon-guerrero-elected-guam-first-female-governor/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49ca042b92e1b697/69893e6ffb4eac558e898241/guam-first-female-governor.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5100 og:image:height: 2869 og:image:alt: Guam USA Territory Governor's Complex in Hagatna of Ricardo J. Bordallo government og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Guam Has Just Elected Its First-Ever Female Governor twitter:description: She defeated her Republican opponent by more than 8,600 votes twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49ca042b92e1b697/69893e6ffb4eac558e898241/guam-first-female-governor.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Guam Has Just Elected Its First-Ever Female Governor > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=7139f190-6adb-4246-acc9-096a417d7a2a&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1)  by [Alejandro de la Garza](https://time.com/author/alejandro-de-la-garza/)  ## Alejandro de la Garza Nov 7, 2018 12:49 AM UTC  Guam's governor's complex. On Tuesday, the U.S. island territory elected its first-ever female governor. Guam's governor's complex. On Tuesday, the U.S. island territory elected its first-ever female governor. Education Images—UIG via Getty Images  by [Alejandro de la Garza](https://time.com/author/alejandro-de-la-garza/)  ## Alejandro de la Garza Nov 7, 2018 12:49 AM UTC As voters in the 50 states wait and see [whether women will make history on Election Day](http://time.com/5323592/2018-elections-women-history-records/), a Democrat in Guam has just made some history of her own. Lou Leon Guerrero, the current president of the Bank of Guam, has been elected the first female governor of the U.S. island territory, beating her incumbent opponent, Republican Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio, by more than 8,600 votes, according to final unofficial results released 7 a.m. Wednesday morning local time. > [](https://twitter.com/DemGovs/status/1059934225187725313) Leon Guerrero will be the ninth elected governor of the U.S. territory. With running mate Joshua Tenorio, Leon Guerrero won 50.7 percent of votes cast, while Ray Tenorio and Tony Ada garnered 26.4 percent of votes. Leon Guerrero’s margin of victory is large enough to avoid a runoff, per the [_Pacific Daily News_](https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2018/11/06/guam-general-election-results/1900152002/)_._ “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity given to us to make a positive change for all our people,” Leon Guerrero said, according to the outlet. Democrat Mike San Nicolas was elected Guam’s non-voting delegate in the U.S. Congress, while Leevin Camacho will be the island territory’s next Attorney General. Democrats will also hold onto a majority in the territory’s 15-person legislature. 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