Babauta, Juan N. (Juan Nekai), 1953-

Juan Nekai Babauta (born September 7, 1953) is a Northern Mariana Islander politician. Primarily aligned with the CNMI Republican Party, Babauta served as Resident Representative of the Northern Mariana Islands from 1990 to 2002 and as the sixth Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for one term from January 14, 2002 to January 9, 2006.

Born in Tanapang, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, his parents sent him to the mainland United States to attend school. He moved to Enosburg Falls, Vermont where he attended Enosburg Falls High School. After graduating, he attended Eastern New Mexico University, earning B.S. and M.A. degrees there, attended a summer session at Johnson State College of Vermont, and earned an M.S. from the University of Cincinnati.

Babauta's interest in health planning began when he worked as a health planner for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from April to August 1977, based on Saipan. He became the executive director for the Commonwealth Health Planning and Development Agency in May 1979 after completing his master's degree. He remained executive director until January 1986. Babauta was elected to the Northern Mariana Islands Senate in November 1985 representing the 3rd Senatorial District, which encompassed Saipan and the Northern Islands Municipality. He took office in January 1986 and served for one, four-year term. In November 1989, Babauta was elected as the third Resident Representative of the Northern Mariana Islands in Washington D.C. He took office in January 1990, succeeding Froilan Tenorio. He served as Resident Representative for three 4-year terms from January 1990 until leaving office in January 2002 to become governor.

In November 2001, Babauta was elected Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in a four-way race. He was defeated for re-election in 2005 and unsuccessful in his 2009, 2014, and 2018 bids to return to the governor's office- running for office as an independent in his 2014 and 2018 bids. In 2010, he placed third in the 2010 United States House of Representatives election in the Northern Mariana Islands.