WITH Independent candidate Jonathan Diaz now allowed to run, the race for the congressional delegate seat has suddenly become crowded.

The imperial Madeleine Z. Bordallo, usually running unopposed or with minimal opposition, now has three rivals aiming for her position. Sure, Diaz isn't technically running against Bordallo in the Democratic primary. But any vote for Diaz means a vote less for Bordallo and that can be dangerous when one faces a primary opponent, even a newcomer like Karlo Dizon. And if Bordallo wins her primary, she still has to face Republican Frank Blas Jr. in the general election. In elections past, Madeleine's crowning would have only been a formality by the time of the general election.

Never in Bordallo's decade-long reign has she faced this much opposition. How did this come about? Many in both the Democratic and Republican camps, with all due respect to Bordallo, thought Madeleine had slipped a notch during her last term. Her stumbles on the Guam war claims, Fena and other issues, many thought, have made her vulnerable.

Frank Blas Jr. was the first to think he can shatter Madeleine's invincibility. As far back as 2010, Blas was already positioning himself for the delegate race by specializing in federal-territorial issues and never missing a chance to criticize Bordallo whenever he could.

But the real surprise has been the entry of Karlo Dizon who practically came out of nowhere. The kid has impressive credentials, but he had not gone through the usual route in local politics, which means he is a virtual unknown to many of the island's voters.

But Dizon, the neophyte that he is, has impressed a lot of people with his very spirited campaign. He is very articulate, obviously intelligent, and gutsy too, not intimidated at all by the iconic Bordallo. Heck, he even challenged Bordallo to a debate ('The nerve of that arriviste,' Bordallo's supporters must have thought).

The rumors surrounding Dizon's entry have also provided fodder to the political talk this season. Some say he is a Gutierrez creation, launched as a sort of payback for Madeleine's lack of support during the 2010 gubernatorial election. Others say he is a Republican sleeper, let loose to sow disunity among the Democrats and give Blas a better chance in the general election. Some Democrats are downright suspicious, saying Dizon's family members have been longtime Republicans so why is he running as a Democrat now?

One political factor is Dizon's Filipino heritage which many see as a counter to Madeleine's stranglehold on the Filipino vote. Madeleine's support from the Filipino community has been legendary, going back to the time of her late husband's tenure in Adelup. Madeleine's shock troops among the Filipino community have been her “ladies” who have helped lead her to electoral victories time and again. These are the so-called “ladies who lunch” from the Filipino Ladies Association of Guam, the Guam Women's Club, the American Red Cross, and the Soroptimists. These ladies are very influential within their respective circles and all of them have been loyal to Madeleine for decades.

Dizon, on the other hand, is attracting a very different sort of Filipino demographic. These are the young Filipino voters who have no knowledge of the Bordallo glory years and therefore feel less awed and captivated by Madeleine.

Many thought Dizon would just be a nuisance candidate but he is turning out to be dead serious. His campaign has been slick and polished, quarterbacked by Tessa B. Weidenbacher, a one-time media person who has been using her media training to Dizon's advantage. Tessa's media smarts is obvious as she issues press releases on a regular basis and spins issues to Dizon's advantage.

As for Jonathan Diaz, he was slow to enter the congressional race this time around. And who can blame him? He had lost in all his previous attempts to wrest Madeleine's crown. But seeing how many people are entering the race, Jonathan must have thought, why not try again, maybe he could win this time. And Diaz is now making up for lost time, challenging his rivals to a debate, and even filing an ethics complaint against Sen. Blas, his Republican rival.

Of course, conspiracy theorists are again saying Jonathan was prevailed upon to enter the race to serve as a spoiler to further muddy up the delegate race. These people point to the quick action of the Legislature and Gov. Calvo in approving the primary ballot bill to ensure Jonathan's inclusion in the race. But I happen to have a great deal of respect for Jonathan. I think his motives are pure and I don’t think he’ll agree to be a puppet of anybody. Besides, in a strange twist, he is now protesting his inclusion in the primary.

The careful money is still betting on Madeleine to win it all this November, but she really has to work for it this time. And it seems our incumbent delegate has taken this to heart, redoubling her campaign efforts and never taking anything for granted. “You never know with politics,” Madeleine was quoted to have said. You never know, indeed.

As for Dizon, I'm sure we'll hear more from him even if he loses. As a newbie wanting to crash into the elite club of Guam politics, Dizon could not have made a better choice in entering the congressional race. If he had run for senator, he would just be one of dozens of candidates trying to get the public's attention. But in the delegate race, especially the novelty of challenging Bordallo, Dizon's voice can be more strongly heard. Win or lose, Dizon would have established a political presence that he can build on later.