GOP race for Lt. Gov. pits pastor against CEO of startup

With most eyes on the Democratic race for lieutenant governor, the two Republican candidates vying for their party’s nomination have much work ahead of them as they try to gain name recognition and get their messages out to voters in a historically blue state.

The contest pits Warner "Kimo" Sutton, a Honolulu renewable energy entrepreneur, against Elwin Ahu, a former Honolulu District Court judge and senior pastor with New Hope Metro. The winner would join the expected gubernatorial nominee James "Duke" Aiona, who served as lieutenant governor from 2002 to 2010 in the administration of­ Gov. Linda Lingle.

"Both Kimo and Elwin are bona fide Republicans, with qualifications that would enhance the Aiona ticket," state GOP Chairwoman Pat Saiki said in an emailed statement. "I know that either of them would represent our state well and offer the bold, new leadership and fresh perspectives that our state so sorely needs. As to which one will go on to the general election, we’ll let the voters decide."

Neither has held elected office.

Sutton, 61, previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1992. He is chief executive officer of a renewable energy startup company, Diamond Head Renewable Resources, with previous experience as a computer salesman and Realtor.

If elected, Sutton said, he would like to address what he calls a "lack of accountability" in the state Office of Elections.

"I would be very much interested in oversight of the elections office," he said in a telephone interview. "I think the Elections Commission as being appointed is not one directly accessible to the voters, they need somebody that’s going to be accountable to oversee it."

He said he also sees flaws in the way lawmakers are attempting to reduce homelessness.

"We have a major problem on our streets in that the Democrats lump it all into one, calling it homeless, versus those that have problems of different types of difficulty making a living," Sutton said. "Those that are on drugs, those that are mentally ill veterans, and foreigners that are visiting our state because they are allowed in — we need to separate them and find solutions for each of those instead of lumping them into one sum."

Ahu, 59, who received his law degree from the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law, served in the Office of the Public Defender before moving into private practice in 1983. In 1994, he was appointed by then-Chief Justice Ronald Moon to serve as a judge in Hono­lulu District Court.

He was named executive pastor of New Hope in 2000 and was among the leaders opposing the gay marriage legislation that lawmakers passed in special session last year.

When he launched his campaign in February, Ahu was critical of incumbent lawmakers, saying he believes Hawaii’s political leaders need to be more mindful of "Divine Guidance" in an effort to restore the core values of Hawaii’s Constitution.

"I think we need a change. We need fresh leadership in our government," Ahu said in a telephone interview. "Although I don’t have any political experience in the Legislature I think when you look at the leadership that’s there now, many of them have been there for years and still nothing is done."

He said his experience as an attorney, judge and pastor — helping to increase New Hope membership — helps him understand decisions that affect lives in a broad sense.

"I understand how policy affects laws and how that affects individual lives," he said.

He cited the economy and education as top priorities, as well as grooming future leaders.

"We’re talking not only about the problems of today, but how do we develop leaders for tomorrow, so that we’re prepared to meet the challenges as they arise, whether it be the economy or education or homelessness," he said. "I want to invest some time in developing young leaders."

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CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story included a photo that misidentified Elwin Ahu.