The party lines: Republicans expand leadership, membership and commitment

In May, over 300 delegates and scores of guests from all across Hawaii nei converged on the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu for one of the most remarkable Hawaiii Republican Party conventions in years.

Beginning with a recent young immigrant from China leading the convention in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the heartfelt invocation of our Heavenly Father’s blessings upon all in attendance by Pastor Brian Aki from nearby Inspire Church, through vigorously contested races for national committeewoman and national committeeman, the delegates were entertained, inspired and motivated to fully engage in promoting our party’s platform supporting liberty, limited government, individual responsibility, fiscal accountability and equality of opportunity.

I shared the good news with the delegates about the 50 percent increase over the past year in the number of party members (now over 33,000), together with the steady expansion of our grassroots party leadership by way of a significant increase in our precinct chairs and the 60 percent increase in state convention delegates.

I also reviewed the proud legacy all of us share deriving from great Hawaiii Republicans of the past, in particular Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, elected as the Territory of Hawaii’s delegate to the U.S. Congress. He was elected as a Republican and then re-elected 10 times, serving until 1922, the year of his untimely death. Kuhio’s enduring legislative achievement was the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.

Finally, I noted that the convention’s siting in Waipahu was motivated by the rising tide of Republican voters in the areas west of the urban Honolulu core.

Our convention’s energy carried over into the exciting announcement June 7 that former Republican Congressman Charles Djou is running for Honolulu mayor. How refreshing it is to hear Djou clearly state: “As mayor, I will veto any further tax increases for the rail system. We need to make this project work with the money we have, not the unlimited blank check (Kirk) Caldwell has given to project developers.” Hawaiii Republicans know they can count on Djou to embody our commitment to individual responsibility and fiscal accountability.

Then this past Tuesday, former Hawaiii Congresswoman Pat Saiki introduced to the public her candidate for Congress, Col. Shirlene Dela Cruz Ostrov (USAF, Ret.). Growing up in Waipahu and attending Mililani High School before moving to the mainland after her sophomore year, Ostrov had multiple assignments during her decorated, military tenure and served in several key leadership roles including Squadron and Group Commander and Liaison for the State Department. She is an advocate of our nation’s “Pivot to the Pacific,” a strategic military plan to secure our nation by strengthening and balancing our armed forces in the Pacific. She states: “We must make Hawaii a priority in Congress and advocate for the best military resources our nation can muster to bolster our position here in the Pacific.”

Backing up our champions for major Hawaiii offices are outstanding Republican candidates for the state Legislature, with two of our House incumbents drawing no Democrat challengers, strong GOP contenders for open seats, and a host of dynamic challengers to Democrat incumbents.

Provided Hawaiii Republicans continue to rally in support of their party’s nominees, and our nominees continue to advance thoughtful proposals addressing fundamental issues facing broad segments of Hawaiii’s electorate, 2016 promises to be our “Waipahu year,” with fresh water (wai) gushing (pahū) from the ground giving life to our beloved aina and its people.