Local, state and national political races will only heat up from now through the Nov. 4 General Election, Kaua‘i party officials said this week. Democratic leaders say they hope to hang on to a strong majority in Hawai‘i, maintaining an
Local, state and national political races will only heat up from now through the Nov. 4 General Election, Kaua‘i party officials said this week.
Democratic leaders say they hope to hang on to a strong majority in Hawai‘i, maintaining an environmental focus, while Republicans say they will work hard to increase their legislative seats so they can play a bigger role in government.
Candidates can pick up nomination papers from the Elections Office or County Clerk starting Feb. 1. All seven at-large County Council seats are up for election, according to the Kaua‘i County Clerk’s Office Election Division at the Historic County Building.
Jay Furfaro, JoAnn Yukimura, Tim Bynum, Bill “Kaipo” Asing, Mel Rapozo and Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho currently comprise the council.
“Because the island’s infrastructure is, to say the least, on the brink of collapse, I anticipate many hats being thrown into this race,” Kaua‘i Republican Party Chair Ed Ka‘ahea said. “There is a feeling of discontent with many ‘locals’ who see Kaua‘i slipping away into the clutches of the ‘developers,’ whoever they may be at the time. This election may result in some new faces. I hope so.”
Kaua‘i Democratic Party Chair Linda Estes said she, too, thinks a lot of new people will run for council.
“Basically, people are concerned about quality of life on Kaua‘i,” she said. “You see what’s happening in Po‘ipu, the monkeypod trees, the Superferry … all those translate to taking more of an interest into what’s happening in local government. There’s a new level of activism on Kaua‘i.”
In other local races, the Kaua‘i prosecuting attorney position is up for election. Craig DeCosta presently holds this post.
At the state level, Sen. Gary Hooser’s 7th District seat will be on the ballot along with all three Kaua‘i House seats, currently filled by fellow Democratic Reps. Mina Morita, Jimmy Tokioka and Roland Sagum.
“As it stands now with seven state House members and four state senators, we do not play a role in the passage of Hawai‘i law, which is dangerous to the integrity of the state and local party, and to the democratic process in the 50th state,” Ka‘ahea said.
Estes said the current state legislators, especially Morita, have done such a “great job” and are so popular in their communities that their re-election is highly likely should they choose to seek it.
Ka‘ahea said he hopes Ron Agor and JoAnne Georgi run again for state Legislature.
“They are dedicated and passionate people, and love Hawai‘i and Kaua‘i,” he said.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has a board of trustees post to fill. Donald Cataluna is the incumbent.
Kaua‘i also has a seat at the state Board of Education that is up for election.
At the national level, Kaua‘i voters will see the 2nd Congressional District seat on the ballot. Rep. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat, currently holds this post. Honolulu voters will decide the 1st Congressional District seat, which Democratic Rep. Neil Abercrombie now fills.
“They should be shoo-ins,” Estes said.
The most hotly contested race so far has been for president.
Democratic hopefuls Sens. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards are vying for their party’s nomination, while top Republican candidates former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. John McCain, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee square off on that side.
The caucuses and primaries underway. Obama, Clinton, McCain and Huckabee have won victories in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Hawai‘i caucuses are Feb. 19, but Estes said she expects the Democratic candidate to be decided before then.
“The party will coalesce behind whoever gets the nomination,” she said.
The party chairs underscored several local issues as important for elected officials to tackle.
“We need affordable housing for everyone,” Ka‘ahea said. “One looming issue is the price of gas; keep an eye on that. The other is the homeless; it is an utter outrage that this state cannot find shelter for its most needy.”
Estes said the environment will be the top topic of discussion because “it is the quality of our lives.”
“People on Kaua‘i are absolutely disgusted that when these developers who don’t get their way and threaten to sue, the county throws in the towel,” she said.
Nationally, the economy and Iraq war are big issues, Estes added.
As a party, Ka‘ahea said Hawai‘i Republicans are widely viewed as “reactionary.”
“The party has to do what our platform says, ‘… unite people around a set of commonly held ideals and not divide them according to their differences,’” he said. “We need to listen to the working man and woman. We need to identify issues that are specific to our state and to the counties and work to solve those issues.”
