Will incumbency advantage play in Albay’s First and Second Congressional Districts this 2019 midterm elections?

It may be easy to jump into  conclusion as Congressmen Edcel Lagman of Liberal Party (LP) and Joey Salced, a who now hopped to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), both have no strong contenders. Lagman is being challenged by two candidates one of whom is Mayor Herbie Aguas (Nationalist People’s Coalition, or NPC). Aguas’s vote-base, the Municipality of Sto. Domingo, however, may not be enough to match the vote-rich Tabaco City or at least Lagman’s hometown – Bacacay. In the 2016 elections, Bacacay has 43,625 registered voters, Sto. Domingo has 22,200 while Tabaco City has 70,662.

Salceda of the Second District is being challenged by Gil Goyena (Independent) who even has difficulty in seeking endorsement from a political party and moreso, consolidating the vote from his hometown, Daraga.

The Third Congressional District is an open game as Congressman Fernando Gonzalez has finished his third term already.

The complete list of congressional candidates in Albay is as follows:

First Congressional District

1. AGUAS, HERBIE BALQUIN (NPC)
2. BRUCE, HERNANDO BAROGA (Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan or PDDS)
3. LAGMAN, EDCEL CASTELAR (LP)

Second Congressional District

1. GOYENA, VIRGILIO AUSTERO (Independent)
2. SALCEDA, JOSE MA. CLEMENTE SARTE (PDP-Laban)

Third Congressional District

1. CABREDO, FERNANDO CABREDO, FERNANDO TIBOR (PDP-Laban)
2. LIM, RENO GUTLAY (Independent)
3. MARCOS, MARIO PACURSA (Independent)
4. PORNEL, ELMER FELIX MANLANGIT (Partido Federal ng Pilipinas)

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