Three virtual political unknowns have signed up as candidates to run against Hipolito Mejia. The candidacies are needed in order to make legitimate the PRD primary called by the PPH faction of the PRD for 18 January. Other leading PRD pre candidates have said they will not run against President Hipolito Mejia in a primary, arguing that the latter is making free use of state resources to compete against them. According to the Diario Libre on Saturday, one of these is Dr. Frank Joseph Thomen, a recognized doctor who ministered the likes of Jose Francisco Pena Gomez and former Presidents Jacobo Majuluta and Antonio Guzman. A completely unknown PRD minion named Diogenes Arias paid his RD$100,000 fee at the party convention headquarters to validate his pre-candidacy and the Listin Diario reported on Saturday that Polonio Pierret also threw his hat into the presidential ring. Both Thomen and Arias announced their candidacies at a joint press conference at the Hotel Santo Domingo, while Pierret went to the press room of the Listin Diario to announce his effort. The three will vie against Hipolito Mejia for the Presidential candidacy of the PRD at the convention to be held 18 January. At the same time, the Listin Diario reported that the Central Electoral Board (JCE) has set 20 January as the date for the official opening of the presidential campaign. According to Luis Arias, the JCE is issuing the official proclamation earlier than usual because it has become customary to begin campaigning in January and “it might as well be done within the legal framework of the Electoral Board.” This step by the board will also allow for official observers to begin working.