9 Apr 2012

Candidates in American Samoa start lining up for US congress race

11:28 am on 9 April 2012

Candidates have begun lining up for the race to become American Samoa's delegate to the United States Congress.

A US Army retiree Rosie Fualaau Tago Lancaster, who will be making a second bid, and Aumua Amata Radewagen, who has entered numerous times, will be challenging the incumbent congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin.

Our correspondent Monica Miller says the competition for the female candidates is tough because Faleomavaega has held the position for more than 20 years.

"He's very senior now and I think that a lot of people would say that if you were to elect somebody new, they would be faced with a tough time trying to establish themselves in Congress, which seniority counts. And that's what I think works in his favour, his seniority."

Monica Miller says potential candidates are being given until September to file their petitions ahead of the November elections.