Hadiya Sewer Unseats Angel Bolques Jr. in Decisive Senator-at-Large Victory

Dr. Hadiya Sewer, an independent candidate and co-founder of the emerging political movement TheFuture, defeated incumbent Democratic Senator Angel L. Bolques Jr. in Tuesday's general election, capturing the territory's senator-at-large seat by more than 3,600 votes and ending Bolques's tenure in the Legislature.

Sewer received 9,809 votes, representing 61.06 percent of the 16,065 votes recorded in the contest, according to combined unofficial early-voting and Election Day results released by the Elections System of the Virgin Islands. Bolques received 6,204 votes, or 38.62 percent, while another 52 votes were recorded as write-ins.

The 3,605-vote margin represents a decisive victory for the political newcomer, whose campaign emphasized government accountability, affordable housing, energy reform and economic opportunities for Virgin Islanders.

The result is also a significant achievement for TheFuture, a political movement that united independent and Democratic candidates around a shared reform platform in the 2026 election. Several other candidates associated with the movement also finished among the leaders in their respective contests Tuesday night.

Sewer will represent the territory in the 37th Legislature, occupying the only Senate seat elected by voters across all three main islands but reserved for a resident of St. John.

The results remain unofficial pending the Elections System's canvassing and certification process.

Sewer wins both early voting and Election Day

Sewer established a substantial lead during early voting, receiving 5,985 votes compared with 3,957 for Bolques.

The early-voting results, released at 8:22 p.m. Tuesday, gave Sewer a 2,028-vote advantage before Election Day ballots were added.

The independent candidate maintained that lead when the Elections System released its Election Day summary at 8:56 p.m.

Sewer collected another 3,824 votes on Election Day, compared with 2,247 for Bolques, expanding the overall margin to 3,605 votes.

Sewer received approximately 60 percent of the recorded early-voting selections and increased that share to 62.73 percent among Election Day selections.

Combined, the results gave the independent challenger a clear majority over an incumbent who had served in the 34th, 35th and 36th Legislatures.

The Elections System's official general-election page contains the unofficial returns and will provide subsequent updates as the election process continues.

A major victory for TheFuture movement

Sewer's election is among the most significant early successes for TheFuture, a political movement that emerged during the 2026 campaign with a stated commitment to government reform, economic opportunity and greater public accountability.

The movement describes itself as a community-rooted, ethics-focused coalition bringing together candidates from different political affiliations to advance shared policy priorities.

According to TheFuture's official website, Sewer is one of its co-founders, alongside other candidates who sought legislative and elected board positions.

Its platform includes stronger oversight of the Water and Power Authority, expanded renewable energy, affordable housing, protections for local land ownership, improvements in healthcare and education, and support for locally owned businesses.

Rather than organizing exclusively through one of the territory's established political parties, TheFuture supported candidates running as both Democrats and independents.

The approach was particularly visible in the St. Thomas-St. John senatorial race, where independent Imani Daniel, Democrat Rudel A. Hodge Jr. and independent Dr. Sennai Habtes, all associated with the movement, finished among the seven leading candidates in the combined unofficial returns.

Daniel led that district's senatorial contest with 4,516 votes, while Hodge received 3,794 and Habtes secured 3,598.

Another movement-affiliated candidate, Raven Phillips, led the St. John Board of Elections contest with 3,458 votes.

The results give TheFuture an opportunity to establish an electoral presence across several public offices, although the final composition of those bodies remains subject to certification.

Sewer's victory is particularly notable because it came against an incumbent Democrat in a territory-wide election, demonstrating that the movement's candidates were able to attract substantial support beyond the party affiliations listed beside their names on the ballot.

The election results alone do not establish voters' motivations, but they confirm that the movement's candidates achieved significant electoral gains.

From academic research and community advocacy to the Legislature

Sewer enters elected office with a background in academia, community organizing, business consulting and cultural preservation.

According to Sewer's professional biography, the St. John resident earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Spelman College and graduate degrees in Africana Studies from Brown University.

Sewer has also been affiliated with Stanford University's African and African American Studies program and Brown University's Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice.

The research focuses on colonialism, political identity, environmental justice and the social conditions affecting communities in the Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean.

In addition to academic work, Sewer is president and co-founder of St.JanCo, the St. John Heritage Collective, an organization dedicated to preserving cultural heritage and protecting the interests of families with longstanding ancestral connections to the island.

That work has included advocacy concerning land ownership, cultural preservation and development decisions affecting St. John.

Sewer has also been involved in discussions surrounding the future of Caneel Bay, where questions about public access, economic opportunity, historic preservation and the role of Virgin Islanders in redevelopment decisions have remained prominent.

Those experiences shaped a campaign centered on improving the economic conditions facing local families while protecting the territory's land, cultural identity and natural resources.

Campaign debate highlighted contrasting approaches

The differences between Sewer and Bolques were evident during their October 15 debate, presented jointly by the Virgin Islands Consortium and WTJX.

The candidates discussed the refinery on St. Croix, electricity costs, affordable housing, government ethics, transportation, federal funding and the representation of St. John residents.

Sewer repeatedly advocated for changes to existing systems, arguing that government programs and economic development strategies must be more responsive to the circumstances facing working families.

The independent candidate proposed establishing a program to help families retain and rehabilitate inherited property, supported by grant funding, legal assistance and educational resources.

On housing, Sewer argued that existing government assistance programs often fail to reflect the exceptionally high cost of acquiring or constructing homes on St. John.

Proposals included using existing housing inventory, revising eligibility requirements for assistance programs and expanding opportunities for contractors and local businesses to participate in residential construction.

Sewer also advocated for a more diversified economy, including technology, remote work, light manufacturing and environmental industries.

On the proposed restart of the St. Croix refinery, Sewer opposed reopening the facility, citing concerns about its potential public health and environmental consequences.

Bolques supported a restart subject to appropriate safety and environmental protections, arguing that the territory could benefit from additional economic activity and employment.

The candidates also differed over the role of the Legislature in strengthening government accountability and the mechanisms available for addressing complaints involving public officials.

During the debate, questions about Bolques's St. John residency became another point of contention.

Bolques insisted that he maintained bona fide residency on the island and said his responsibilities as senator at large required frequent travel throughout the territory.

Sewer argued that representation should also be evaluated by a public official's physical presence, accessibility and engagement with the St. John community.

The complete October 15 senator-at-large debate remains available through WTJX.

Bolques defended his legislative record

Bolques entered the election seeking another term after more than four years in the Legislature.

He was sworn in as senator at large on July 25, 2022, after previously serving on the Virgin Islands Board of Education and working in several government and educational positions.

He subsequently won election to the 35th Legislature and returned for the 36th Legislature.

During his tenure, Bolques chaired the Committee on Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports and Parks and participated in committees addressing economic development, disaster recovery, public safety and the judiciary.

He also championed legislation affecting retirees, child protection, economic development and government revenue.

During the October debate, Bolques pointed to the Safe Haven Act, a vehicle rental surcharge and legislation designed to protect child victims and witnesses during judicial proceedings as examples of his accomplishments.

He credited the rental surcharge with generating millions of dollars in additional government revenue, while emphasizing that the measure was designed to draw revenue primarily from visitors rather than local families.

Bolques asked voters to evaluate his record and allow him to continue his legislative work.

The election results, however, showed a substantial preference for his independent challenger.

His defeat means the senator-at-large position will change hands when the 37th Legislature begins its work in January.

St. John's representation and territory-wide responsibilities

Although the senator-at-large is elected by voters on St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, the office carries a residency requirement specific to St. John.

The arrangement provides the smallest of the three main islands with a guaranteed resident representative in the 15-member Legislature, while ensuring that the officeholder is accountable to voters throughout the Virgin Islands.

Sewer's election therefore creates an opportunity to advance issues particularly important to St. John, including affordable housing, transportation, healthcare access, ancestral land ownership and economic opportunities, while also participating in legislation affecting the entire territory.

The incoming senator will join a Legislature facing significant policy decisions involving government finances, electricity generation, public infrastructure, education and the territory's long-term economic development.

For TheFuture, the challenge will be translating a coordinated campaign platform into legislative proposals and securing the votes necessary to implement them.

For Sewer, Tuesday's victory marks a transition from research, community advocacy and political organizing into direct responsibility for territorial lawmaking.

The new senator will take office following an election in which an independent challenger defeated an established Democratic incumbent by a decisive margin, while a broader slate of reform-oriented candidates also achieved notable results.

The outcome gives TheFuture an important electoral foothold and places Sewer among the new political figures entering the 37th Legislature.