On Politics: Odd couples sit atop governor, lieutenant governor tickets

One of the great disappearing acts for most of Gov. David Ige’s first term, was the invisibility of Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui, who said he was never consulted, hardly used and mostly swept aside by Ige.

It was enough of an issue that U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, Ige’s primary-election opponent, even brought it up during a debate. Ige responded, saying he tried to use Tsutsui, but the Maui Democrat didn’t even attend Cabinet meetings.

“The role was really different, I guess, with Ige and myself versus Abercrombie and myself in the sense that Abercrombie really made me feel a part of the entire administration from top down,” Tsutsui said in a Honolulu Star-Advertiser interview after the July debate.

Now as the November general election approaches, Ige is teamed up with Democratic LG candidate, state Sen. Josh Green, who is all in with BFF status with Ige.

There is absolutely no doubt where Green, a Big Island emergency room physician, stands with Ige: right next to him with a big grin.

“I remain ready, on call to help with whatever the administration needs,” Green said in an interview. “He (Ige) said publicly he wants me to go to all Cabinet meetings. I was excited to hear that.”

In contrast, Marissa Kerns, the GOP’s lieutenant governor candidate, is exploring the depths of disunity. After winning her primary race, Kearns said the winning GOP gubernatorial candidate, Andria Tupola, should apologize to voters for her legislative record.

“I told (Tupola), you need to apologize because of your voting record,” Kerns told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser as Tupola spoke at a GOP rally in September.

Meanwhile the usually quarrelsome Democrats are finding unity after a bitter primary season with the Ige-Green love-fest.

“We have met multiple times — several times, each an extraordinary warm experience. He welcomed me into his family immediately,” said Green, adding, “whenever I get a chance, I bum a ride from him going to events, so I get an extra hour to talk with David.”

Although Green’s plans are still being firmed up, he said that if elected, he and Ige see him working on several high-profile projects.

“The night of the primary, the governor asked me what I would like to do. I said I want to work on the homeless crisis and opioid epidemic because of my experience as a doctor.”

Green said Ige liked that, and added that working on ways to deal with the physician shortage, especially on the neighbor islands, would be good.

If they win next month, it appears that Green, when not buddying up to Ige, will be doing “Energizer Bunny” impersonations.

“When I leave the building, I am going to be a physician lieutenant governor.

“I am going to be very active in the community, including starting free clinics, medical respite facilities. It won’t be uncommon for me to throw my scrubs on and volunteer in clinics after I leave work at the Capitol,” Green said.

He maintains a home in both Kona and Honolulu and plans to move with his children and wife, an attorney, to Honolulu full-time.

If he wins, Ige can’t run again for governor in four years, so there is not a lot of competition in the relationship, and Green sees only smooth sailing.

“There hasn’t been one tense moment. We are an interesting odd couple because he is so analytical and processes things deliberately, and I am more of a ‘throw on my scrubs and launch myself like an ER doc’,” Green said.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808onpolitics@gmail.com.