U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye said he will support either Mayor Peter Carlisle or former city Managing Director Kirk Caldwell in the race for Honolulu mayor, based on their support for the city’s $5.27 billion rail transit project.
Inouye said he could not back former Gov. Ben Cayetano, the third major candidate in the race, because of Cayetano’s strong stance against the rail.
"If asked to say anything, I would be in favor of rail," Inouye said Monday of the role he might play in the race. "To be honest, I suppose I would support a candidate who supports rail.
"I’m not the type that goes out of his way to cut his own throat."
A key federal approval earlier this month cleared the way for the first segment of major construction for the city’s 20-mile rail line, although officials are still awaiting a Full Funding Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration that would clear the way for $1.55 billion in federal money for the project.
"If Gov. Cayetano wins it would make the rail proposal a bit more difficult," Inouye said. "Right now the federal government is in support."
Cayetano said he was not surprised, given his disagreement with Inouye over the rail project.
"Apparently, he sees nothing wrong with the city awarding multimillion-dollar rail contracts and starting construction even though there is no Full Funding Agreement or congressional approval for the $1.5 billion federal grant," Cayetano said via email.
Contractor Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. plans to start work next month on the first 6.5 miles of elevated guideway for the system.
"The city is taking these risks mainly because the senator says he is ‘confident’ he will get congressional approval for the $1.5 billion," Cayetano said. "Not only is such conduct irresponsible, but it is high-stakes gambling with the public’s money."
Inouye, meeting with Star-Advertiser reporters and editors, said he was not ready to say who he favored, Carlisle or Caldwell, "but I will be supporting one of them."
"Both of them are my friends," he added.
Caldwell said he would be honored to have the endorsement of the senator, for whom he worked in Washington.
"We’re working hard to earn the support of each and every voter in the City and County of Honolulu, including that of our senior senator," Caldwell said. "The senator is a good friend of mine, and my wife and both of us have worked for him in the past."
Carlisle said he "can’t imagine any politician in Hawaii not treasuring the endorsement of Sen. Inouye," adding that he understands there is a long-standing friendship between him and Caldwell.
"If he endorses Kirk and doesn’t endorse me and I happen to be elected, it’s not going to have any impact on our relationship in the slightest, and we’ll continue to work for a better tomorrow for the city," Carlisle said.
A recent poll by the Star-Advertiser and Hawaii News Now showed Cayetano in the lead for mayor with 44 percent, followed by Carlisle at 35 percent and Caldwell at 16 percent.
Inouye said he does not give much credence to polls this far from the election. But he was surprised that the same poll showed voter support for rail had slipped.
"But I feel certain that once the debate begins and reasons are given, it’ll change," Inouye said.
