THE big news yesterday was that former Gov. Carl T.C. Gutierrez may be pulling out of the Public Auditor race.

This possibility surfaced despite Gutierrez garnering a more than respectable number of votes running as a write-in during the primaries a few weeks ago. (According to the Democrats, Gutierrez made Guam election history by getting nearly 7,000 tabulated and uncounted votes).

Apparently, the Democratic Party of Guam wants Carl to abandon his candidacy so he can help the party during the elections this November.

Because he is running for Public Auditor, a non-partisan position, Gutierrez cannot campaign for the Democrats this year. Conversely, the Democrats also cannot campaign for Carl or be associated with him while he is campaigning for Public Auditor. This is the reason why Gutierrez was so conspicuously absent during the recent Jefferson-Jackson dinner hosted by the Democrats.

“Now more than ever, we need your participation. In order for Democratic candidates to succeed this year in Guam, your personal and involved leadership to activate and energize the democratic base and bring voters out for the general election is needed,” the Democratic Party wrote in a letter to Gutierrez.

The letter must have been a painful one for the Democrats to write. It just falls short of admitting that the Democratic Party’s hold on the majority in the Legislature is in real jeopardy. Although the letter boasts that the Democrats have “excellent candidates” with a good chance of expanding the current Democratic majority in the Legislature, it also warns that the GOP is “formidable” and “in order for our party to win, we must work aggressively together.”

Certainly the Democrats would need all the help they can get this year. The party had already suffered body blows from charges hurled by the Republicans that they were “anti-buildup” and “anti-military.” During the recent primaries, a number of incumbent democratic senators didn’t even place highly as expected, thus the Democrats could use a lift from Uncle Carl this year. As Democratic Party of Guam executive director Carlo Branch told the Travis Coffman show, Gutierrez is like Michael Jordan and you can’t pull out Jordan in the middle of a close, important game, or at least something to that effect.

But since the release of the letter, intrigue has already been growing. Political operatives are questioning if it is really valid to believe that only Gutierrez can save the Democratic Party. Is Uncle Carl really the Democrats’ only savior? Are there no other worthy leaders in the Democratic Party? Pundits are saying the letter was signed by traditional “Sunshine” allies Vice Speaker Benjamin J.F. Cruz and Majority Leader Rory Respicio. Glaringly absent were Sen. Tom Ada and former lawmaker Frank Aguon Jr. who both ran as vice gubernatorial candidates under then-Sunshine rival Robert Underwood.

As of Island Stir’s deadline, Gutierrez had not yet responded to the Democrats’ letter, just saying that he is still weighing his options. It was reported that the Gutierrez camp did file Carl’s police and court clearances as well as a financial disclosure report with the Guam Election Commission, a day after the Democrats sent their letter, indicating that Gutierrez may still push through with his candidacy.

So is this just a ploy by Gutierrez and the Democrats to gain publicity? Some say this might just be a ruse to lull Doris Flores Brooks into complacency.

Politically, withdrawing from the race could be a tricky one because image is very important in Guam politics and Gutierrez may be perceived as running scared. But as Branch pointed out, Gutierrez is known for a lot of things, but running scared from a fight is not one of them.

On the other hand, Gutierrez is also taking a big risk in running for Public Auditor. Despite his big numbers during the last primaries, there is always a chance that Gutierrez could lose. As Madeleine Bordallo famously said, one never knows with Guam elections.

Indeed, there is always an element of risk in any election. But in Gutierrez’s case, this run for Public Auditor is particularly risky because if he loses, his whole political career could be over. How can he still run for governor or Guam delegate if he can’t even win the Public Auditor race?

There has also been talk circulating around town that Doris has a secret weapon she would unleash during the campaign which would prevent Carl from running for the Public Auditor post. Something about documents and a provision in the law creating the Public Auditor position that may disqualify Gutierrez. But if Gutierrez withdraws now, that would be moot and academic.

Whatever happens, the fact that the whole town is abuzz about this latest development just proves that Gutierrez is still a major political force in this island despite his loss during the last gubernatorial election. Even if he withdraws from the Public Auditor race, his expected village-to-village campaign stump for the Democrats would ensure that he will maintain his visibility and popularity, which he can leverage into another gubernatorial run in 2014.

Make no mistake, Gutierrez is back and he’s managed to stir the pot yet again.