Name recognition is the key to success in most small-town political races, and that pattern is likely to hold in Tuesday’s Kaua’i County Council election Seven of the 14 candidates in the race will serve for the next two years,
Name recognition is the key to success in most small-town political races, and that pattern is likely to hold in Tuesday’s Kaua’i County Council election
Seven of the 14 candidates in the race will serve for the next two years, a period in which new ownership of Kaua’i Electric and a new landfill site are expected to be decided
Also prominent in upcoming council discussions will be how to direct Kaua’i’s economy, whether to continue to emphasize tourism, diversify agriculture or increase technological interests on the island
From all appearances, these debates will most likely take place between familiar, male faces
In September’s primary election, none of the women candidtes and only one non-incumbent finished in the top seven — the magic number for being elected to the seven-member council. And it’s a stretch to call William ‘Kaipo’ Asing, who ran a strong third, a newcomer, since he has served multiple terms on the council previously
Finishing ninth was John Barretto Jr., also a former council member, who stepped out of the limelight for the past four years due to a serious illness he’s put behind him now
The real race is expected to be between first-term incumbents Billy K. Swain and Daryl Kaneshiro for the seventh and final spot on the 2001-02 council
If primary results had been final, Swain, with 5,866 votes would have edged Kaneshiro, who polled 5,491
Both men acknowledged their seemingly precarious position, but both have run positive campaigns without mentioning the other. Kaneshiro recently said he’s highly optimistic he’ll be re-elected
Although the election is non-partisan, Swain and Kaneshiro are registered Democrats
Asing has run a quiet campaign, evidently confident he’s going back onto the council
Barretto, who describes himself as “a close friend of Kaipo’s,” has bought more television time in the general election campaign. His ads concentrate on contrasting Kaua’i’s physical beauty with certain messy policies he’s laying at the feet of the current council
None of the three female candidates in the race — Rhoda Libre, J. Kauilani Kahalekai and Anne Donovan -came within about 2,500 votes of the top seven in the primary. But all have been campaigning hard since September
Other than offering slightly different perspectives, none of the non-incumbents have sounded any revolutionary issues during the campaign. In fact, after a forum last month sponsored by the League of Women Voters and American Association of Retired Persons, Donovan acknowledged that at least in that type of generalized question and answer format, all 14 candidates – incumbents and challengers alike – “sounded pretty much the same.” Except for the sovereignty issue, which none of the candidates hit hard, there really has been little disagreement that the environment and the economy are the biggest issues facing the county in the next two years
And if that’s a correct assumption, then name-recognition and voters’ familiarity with the candidates becomes even more important. And those factors favor incumbents and former council members
Councilman Bryan Baptiste was the leading votegetter in both the 2000 primary and the 1998 general election
Councilman Randal Valenciano finished a strong second in the primary this year, and nine-term incumbent Ron Kouchi was right behind Asing in fourth place
Jimmy Tokioka finished fifth in the primary, 270 votes in front of fellow incumbent Gary Hooser. Then came Swain, Kaneshiro and Baretto
Former civil defense director Cayetano “Sonny” Gerardo and first-time candidate Joe Prigge are also on the ballot
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext
252) and dwilken@pulitzer.net Staff photo by Dennis Fujimoto U.S
SEN. Daniel Akaka joins Kauaians Clyde Kodani, Roy Nishida, and Betty Matsumura as they listen to Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono’s pitch for the Gore Lieberman team during the democratic rally held Sunday night at the Kaua`i War Memorial Convention Hall. In addition to Akaka and Hirono, other national and state candidates making an appearance included U.S. Rep. Patsy T. Mink, Judge Walter Heen, head of the Hawai`i Democratic party, Sen. Avery Chumbley of Maui, as well as a large slate of Kaua`i democratic contenders for state representative, prosecuting attorney, county council, and the state Board of Education. The event was broadcast live on KUAI radio.
Name recognition is the key to success in most small-town political races, and that pattern is likely to hold
in Tuesday’s Kaua’i County Council election.
Seven of the 14 candidates in
the race will serve for the next two years, a period in which new ownership of
Kaua’i Electric and a new landfill site are expected to be decided.
Also
prominent in upcoming council discussions will be how to direct Kaua’i’s
economy, whether to continue to emphasize tourism, diversify agriculture or
increase technological interests on the island.
From all appearances, these
debates will most likely take place between familiar, male faces.
In
September’s primary election, none of the women candidtes and only one
non-incumbent finished in the top seven — the magic number for being elected
to the seven-member council. And it’s a stretch to call William ‘Kaipo’ Asing,
who ran a strong third, a newcomer, since he has served multiple terms on the
council previously.
Finishing ninth was John Barretto Jr., also a former
council member, who stepped out of the limelight for the past four years due to
a serious illness he’s put behind him now.
The real race is expected to be
between first-term incumbents Billy K. Swain and Daryl Kaneshiro for the
seventh and final spot on the 2001-02 council.
If primary results had been
final, Swain, with 5,866 votes would have edged Kaneshiro, who polled
5,491.
Both men acknowledged their seemingly precarious position, but both
have run positive campaigns without mentioning the other. Kaneshiro recently
said he’s highly optimistic he’ll be re-elected.
Although the election is
non-partisan, Swain and Kaneshiro are registered Democrats.
Asing has run a
quiet campaign, evidently confident he’s going back onto the
council.
Barretto, who describes himself as “a close friend of Kaipo’s,”
has bought more television time in the general election campaign. His ads
concentrate on contrasting Kaua’i’s physical beauty with certain messy policies
he’s laying at the feet of the current council.
None of the three female
candidates in the race — Rhoda Libre, J. Kauilani Kahalekai and Anne Donovan
-came within about 2,500 votes of the top seven in the primary. But all have
been campaigning hard since September.
Other than offering slightly
different perspectives, none of the non-incumbents have sounded any
revolutionary issues during the campaign. In fact, after a forum last month
sponsored by the League of Women Voters and American Association of Retired
Persons, Donovan acknowledged that at least in that type of generalized
question and answer format, all 14 candidates – incumbents and challengers
alike – “sounded pretty much the same.”
Except for the sovereignty issue,
which none of the candidates hit hard, there really has been little
disagreement that the environment and the economy are the biggest issues facing
the county in the next two years.
And if that’s a correct assumption, then
name-recognition and voters’ familiarity with the candidates becomes even more
important. And those factors favor incumbents and former council members.
Councilman Bryan Baptiste was the leading votegetter in both the 2000
primary and the 1998 general election.
Councilman Randal Valenciano
finished a strong second in the primary this year, and nine-term incumbent Ron
Kouchi was right behind Asing in fourth place.
Jimmy Tokioka finished fifth
in the primary, 270 votes in front of fellow incumbent Gary Hooser. Then came
Swain, Kaneshiro and Baretto.
Former civil defense director Cayetano
“Sonny” Gerardo and first-time candidate Joe Prigge are also on the
ballot.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext.
252) and dwilken@pulitzer.net
Staff photo by Dennis Fujimoto
U.S.
SEN. Daniel Akaka joins Kauaians Clyde Kodani, Roy Nishida, and Betty Matsumura
as they listen to Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono’s pitch for the Gore Lieberman team
during the democratic rally held Sunday night at the Kaua`i War Memorial
Convention Hall. In addition to Akaka and Hirono, other national and state
candidates making an appearance included U.S. Rep. Patsy T. Mink, Judge Walter
Heen, head of the Hawai`i Democratic party, Sen. Avery Chumbley of Maui, as
well as a large slate of Kaua`i democratic contenders for state representative,
prosecuting attorney, county council, and the state Board of Education. The
event was broadcast live on KUAI radio.
