The thing about Democrats in Hawaii is that they intuitively understand the politics of reinvention. This year marks 61 years that Democrats have been running government operations in Hawaii.

Part of the reason for that success was on display last weekend at the Young Democrats of Hawaii Pacific Conference that pulled in about 80 delegates from all neighbor islands and Washington state and California.

There was a meeting with 82-year-old speaker of the House, state Rep. Joe Souki, who recalled how he once led the Maui YDs, and the event was closed out with an address by 90-year-old retired U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka — but the event was about millennial-aged Democrats getting ready.

"This weekend was the beginning of getting people excited for 2016," said Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, chairman of the conference’s steering committee.

"It was good for a lot of young guys to hear from everybody in office. Most of the young guys haven’t met the established politicians, they have not been engaged in politics and don’t know how to get engaged and this gave them that opportunity," said William Nhieu, the state House Democrats’ assistant director of communications.

Time was spent discussing issues. Topics included balanced growth, affordable housing, rail, GMOs and the protests regarding the telescopes on Mauna Kea.

According to those attending, the issues were not protest sessions, but more explorations in the various positions, although Dos Santos-Tom said two groups on rail both came out with a favorable position and the TMT group split the difference, coming out with a position that supported both sides.

Dos Santos-Tam, 27, executive director at the Hawaii Construction Alliance, is a good example of how the non-strident, big-tent part of the Democratic Party keeps itself in the majority.

A Punahou and Yale graduate, Dos Santos-Tam, voted for Republican John McCain for president in 2008 but later switched.

"I grew up in a fairly conservative household, and I think that was reflected in how I saw things growing up; coming back to Hawaii, I see things differently now, as I’ve become more aware of the issues that we face here in Hawaii and how best to solve them," said Dos Santos-Tam, who counted former Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Mayor Kirk Caldwell and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz as Democratic Party mentors.

The 61 years of majority by Hawaii Democrats is actually of concern to Hawaii Democrats, noted Dos Santos-Tam, who figures that it’s his younger generation that has the energy to keep it going. Some of the conference delegates, however, questioned why stay in politics when you don’t win.

"The Kauai delegation talked about their concern on pesticide use and how they rallied their friends, but they weren’t able to get the result they wanted immediately, so a lot of their friends just dropped off saying ‘Well, forget it. If they aren’t going to listen to us, why bother,’" said Dos Santo-Tam.

That question was pitched to a panel of three Hawaii governors: George Ariyoshi, John Waihee and Neil Abercrombie.

Waihee explained how the movement to stop the bombing of Kahoolawe took years of protests, organizing and finally successful legislation.

"Their message was that you just got to keep at it," said Dos Santos-Tam.

In all, the majority Democrat Party also had a message. Democrats play to win and Republicans fight to the death; there is a difference.

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Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.