LIHU‘E — Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Friday chose Kaua‘i County Councilman Derek Kawakami to fill the seat of former state Rep. Mina Morita in District 14, sources said Saturday. Although Abercrombie has not yet released an official statement on the
LIHU‘E — Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Friday chose Kaua‘i County Councilman Derek Kawakami to fill the seat of former state Rep. Mina Morita in District 14, sources said Saturday.
Although Abercrombie has not yet released an official statement on the matter, the decision has been confirmed by Kaua‘i Democratic Party Chair Steven Nishimura and the other two party nominees for the vacancy, Neil Clendeninn and Foster Ducker.
“I’ve got it in an email from District Chair Susan Wilson that Derek Kawakami has been selected by the governor,” Nishimura said Saturday, adding that Wilson had sent the information around noon. “I’m not sure if this is official or not.”
Clendeninn said he learned Friday evening of Kawakami’s appointment after he got a call from Abercrombie.
“I don’t know if he is officially going to announce it, or when,” Clendeninn said of Abercrombie.
The North Shore doctor, with no experience in office, said he called Kawakami and congratulated him.
Ducker, a Kilauea resident and Realtor, was straight to the point.
“The governor appointed Derek,” he said Saturday. “I got a call from the governor yesterday afternoon, telling me that he was going to choose Derek.”
Hawai‘i Democratic Party Chair Dante Carpenter would not confirm the appointment Saturday.
“I am given the understanding that the governor picked somebody,” he said. “I’m not aware of who he may have picked. But as far as I’m concerned any one of the three would be perfectly fine.”
Kawakami declined to comment Saturday.
Council vacancy
Abercrombie’s appointment does not need Senate confirmation. But before an appointed House representative can cast votes he has to be sworn in, said Sen. Ron Kouchi, D-Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau, who went through a similar process last year in the Senate.
If Kawakami’s appointment becomes official, he would have to resign from the council.
Council Chair Jay Furfaro has said that if any member of the council leaves before the end of their term, the council has 30 days to choose a replacement, which would not necessarily be the eighth candidate with the most votes in the last election.
KipuKai Kuali‘i, who finished in that runner-up slot last November, said Saturday that he would be “absolutely interested” in serving the remainder of Kawakami’s two-year term.
“I ran twice now; in the first election I came in ninth and in then in the second election I moved up to eighth,” he said.
Furfaro said the council would have to reach a simple majority to agree on a replacement. If a decision couldn’t be reached in 30 days, the mayor would appoint a new council member.
A month after last election, Kuali‘i got together with his supporters and decided he would run again in 2012. He said he believes that his finish in November’s election would make him a strong candidate to fill Kawakami’s seat.
“Even though Chair Furfaro has said it’s not automatic, it’s what they have done before, and I’m hoping that’s what they’ll do again,” said Kuali‘i. He added that as soon as he hears Kawakami’s appointment is official, he’ll be approaching each council member and asking for their consideration.
