Experience makes the difference

Other than a very few hot electoral battles this election cycle — Sen. Malama Solomon will face off again with her predecessor in that Hawaii island seat, Lorraine Inouye — there will be few challenges to the status quo in the Legislature.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser editorial board will not weigh in on neighbor island races, but rather, is placing its state Capitol endorsement focus on Oahu contests, starting with the state Senate. But looking across the electoral landscape, a startling fact leaps out: Of the state Capitol’s 76 seats, eight candidates will be elected outright, with no opposition at all.

All are Democrats, including incumbents: State Sen. J. Kalani English and state Reps. Cindy Evans, Karl Rhoads, Romy Cachola, Ty Cullen, Marcus Oshiro and Ken Ito. Unfortunately, the Pearl City-to-Halawa district formerly represented by gubernatorial candidate David Ige deserved a spirited race, but that open seat will go uncontested to former City Councilman Breene Harimoto.

Here are our endorsements for Oahu Senate races with contested primaries:

» In the 12th District (Kakaako, McCully, Waikiki), incumbent Brickwood M. Galuteria deserves to keep his seat, although we disagreed with his recent failed bid to allow the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to build residential units on its land in Kakaako Makai.

A Kakaako native who has served in the state Senate since 2008, Galuteria is the Senate majority leader and serves on four key committees, including as vice chair of the Water and Land Committee. He rightly strives to keep Native Hawaiian issues at the forefront of public policy.

Galuteria correctly assesses housing, homelessness, kupuna concerns, public safety and tourism as the top concerns in his district, yet it is on precisely those issues that outspoken challenger Carleton N. Middleton insists the incumbent has dropped the ball. Despite such criticism, we prefer Galuteria as a reliable Democrat whose knowledge and experience can help the state make headway on entrenched problems.

Republican Chris Lethem, 52, has no primary-election opposition so advances to the general. The software engineer has a military background and a keen interest in Family Court issues and has worked as a staffer in the state House.

» Incumbent Maile Shimabukuro faces Michael Kahikina in the Democratic primary for 21st District (Kalaeloa, Waianae, Makua). Kahikina has a long record of public service, including 12 years in the state House. However, Shimabukuro has represented the district well since being elected to the Senate in 2010 after serving in the House from 2003.

An activist legislator, she co-sponsored a measure that would expand the time allowed for victims to bring civil claims for child sexual abuse. She also took the lead in promoting a new law enhancing transparency by requiring financial disclosure statements from members of selected state boards and commissions.

Shimabukuro, 43, has pushed for legislation that would improve conditions in her economically deprived district, seeking special protections for taro farming, the widening of Farrington Highway in Nanakuli, expanding job training opportunities for her constituents and seeking alternatives to provide shelter for the homeless.

Among her GOP challengers, Tercia Ku offers the best choice for Republican primary voters. With a background as an educator and researcher, she has a solid record of community involvement and a centrist, pro-education platform. The other contenders are Johnnie-Mae Perry and Randy Roman Jr.

» Clayton Hee gave up his 23rd District seat to run for lieutenant governor. Democrat Gil Riviere is unopposed in the primary so will go on to the general election, but there’s a GOP contest in which former lawmaker Colleen Meyer, 75, presents the best combination of experience and community rapport, and should earn the nomination to represent the area (Heeia, Laie, Waialua). Her 14 years in the House included a range of committee assignments and minority leadership roles. Meyer had held conservative views that mirror those of many in her Windward Coast district.

The GOP ballot also includes Norman Kaaipohaku J. Brown, but Meyer faces the stiffest competition from Richard Fale, who served two years in the state House. Community leaders report strains during that term — over his opposition to state funds for preserving Turtle Bay, for example. Meyer said she favored that action, a position more closely aligned with residents’ preferences.

Honolulu Star-Advertiser Endorsements: July 20 through July 27, we present our picks for the primary election’s major contested races.