Haglelgam loses his Yap seat to Joseph Urusemal; Olter beats Falcam 5,725–5,609; Nena unseats VP Ismael.
What happened
Joseph Urusemal took Yap’s four-year seat from President Haglelgam, 1,631 votes to 1,280, and Jacob Nena beat Vice President Hirosi Ismael in Kosrae, 1,638 to 1,369. Because Congress can only choose the president from its four at-large senators, both incumbents were out of the running.
Why it matters
It was the first of three times a sitting president lost his home-state seat; Falcam (2003) and Christian (2019) later lost the same way.
Who’s who
- John HaglelgamSecond President of the FSM, 1987–1991; from Yap
- Bailey OlterThird President of the FSM, 1991–1996; from Pohnpei
- Jacob NenaFourth President of the FSM, 1996–1999 (acting until May 1997); from Kosrae
- Leo FalcamFifth President of the FSM, 1999–2003; from Pohnpei
- Joseph UrusemalSixth President of the FSM, 2003–2007; from Yap
