ST. CROIX — A new wave of political aspirants picked up nomination papers Wednesday for the 2026 election cycle, adding prominent names among those seeking to run in the gubernatorial, congressional, and legislative races across both districts.
Four independents picked up petitions to run in the gubernatorial race in November.
Economist Warren Mosler, former Public Works Commissioner Gustav James, and Positive Nelson, a former senator and former agriculture commissioner, picked up nomination papers on St. Croix. Former seven-term Senator Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg, who previously ran for governor three times, picked up the papers in the St. Thomas/St. John District.
Mosler, a Connecticut native, has run for delegate to Congress three times and most recently sought the governorship in 2018 alongside running mate Ray Fonseca, who subsequently ran for a seat in the Legislature and is now serving his second term as senator.
James led DPW under former Governor Kenneth Mapp from 2015 to 2017 and last year filed a federal civil complaint alleging unlawful detention and excessive force by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Virgin Islands Police Department officers at his Frederiksted home in 2021. The case is ongoing.
Nelson, a longtime educator, served seven Senate terms before becoming agriculture commissioner in 2019 and later transitioning to serve as Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s special cannabis advisor in 2023, a position he held until February 20.
Donastorg, who served in the Legislature from 1995 to 2011, previously ran for governor in 2006, 2010, and 2014.
The race for delegate to Congress continues to build interest as Democrats Antonio Emanuel, director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and former Senator Emmett Hansen II, who served in the Legislature from 2001 to 2005 and lost a 2014 Democratic primary bid for the seat to Plaskett, join a growing field of candidates who picked up papers Tuesday.
READ MORE: Del. Stacey Plaskett picks up petition for gubernatorial race; elected offices field starts to form
In the St. Thomas/St. John District, Democrats Fonseca and Senator Avery Lewis picked up Senate petitions Wednesday, as did independent Hadiya Sewer, an Africana philosopher and sociologist based on St. John, who is seeking the at-large Senate seat.
On St. Croix, independents Bianca Acevedo and Mustasem Mustafa picked up petitions for the district’s Senate race.
Picking up nomination papers does not obligate a candidate to formally file. The first day to circulate nomination papers/petitions is Sunday. Candidates may file between May 12 and 19.
