2 incumbents race for new Senate district

Democratic primary voters will have to choose between two longtime state legislators who suddenly find themselves battling one another to represent the new state Senate 11th District seat covering Makiki, Tantalus and Manoa.

After decades serving in the House and Senate, state Sens. Carol Fuku­naga (D, Lower Makiki-Punchbowl) and Brian Tani­gu­chi (D, Moiliili-Manoa) were pitted against each other in May after a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court in Hono­lulu essentially allowed the new reapportionment and redistricting plan to proceed.

"It’s unfortunate," Tani­gu­chi said. "There had to be two senators on Oahu who had to run against each other. It’s just one of those things."

Fukunaga tells voters she meets on her door-to-door canvassing, "This is not something that either of us would have chosen. It’s not like I moved to Manoa to challenge Sen. Tani­gu­chi. But as a result of reapportionment, we find ourselves in these circumstances."

The new district represents 51,900 residents. Demo­cratic voters in the Aug. 11 primary will have to choose between Fuku­naga, chairwoman of the Senate Economic Development and Technology Committee, who has become a leader in new media, and Tani­gu­chi, former chairman of the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee, who had been considered for the Senate presidency.

The winner will face Republican Larry Fenton in the general election.

In the Democratic primary, Tani­gu­chi said he may have the edge in Manoa, where he grew up and now represents its residents in the Senate.

Fukunaga, who currently represents Makiki, may have leverage there, Tani­gu­chi said.

"But there’s a lot heavier turnover in Makiki compared to Manoa," Tani­gu­chi said. "Those longtime voters might be gone."

Fukunaga, 64, began her 10-year career in the House side of the Legislature representing portions of Makiki, Tantalus and Manoa before she went on to a 20-year career in the Senate.

So Fukunaga is comfortable these days talking to voters in the new Senate District 11.

"It feels like returning home," Fuku­naga said. "It’s been kind of entertaining as I go door to door. They’ll say, ‘You were that pretty lady sign-holding when I was in elementary school.’ Now they’re grown up, and they’ll tell me their children participate in sports or they talk about what school they go to. There’s been a generational shift but it feels comfortable."

TANIGUCHI, 60, served 14 years in the House and 18 more in the Senate. Growing up, he attended what is now Stevenson Middle School, and his two children went to Noelani Elementary School, Stevenson and Roosevelt High School.

Even though Stevenson isn’t in his current district, Tani­gu­chi met with teachers to develop plans for a science learning center and attended a half-dozen community meetings before drafting a bill to pay for it.

After the money originally was held up by former Gov. Linda Lingle, Tani­gu­chi said, Gov. Neil Abercrombie released the funds, and groundbreaking on the two-story science learning center will occur within a year.

"That’s really exciting for me and an example of the kinds of things I like to do," Tani­gu­chi said.

Fukunaga also pushes for programs that help students excel in digital media, robotics and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education.

Through robotics and STEM competitions, Fuku­naga has found "that students develop stronger skills. It’s pretty healthy."

And the same could be said for her primary race against her longtime Demo­cratic colleague in the House and Senate.

"I believe in competition," Fuku­naga said. "Often it brings out the best in us. We both have strong records of public service. We just cannot help where we find ourselves."

Taniguchi believes that Demo­cratic voters will have a tough choice deciding who they want representing their new Senate district.

"Generally speaking, politically on issues we’re pretty close," he said. "I’m sure there have been a couple of issues here and there, but we’re pretty similar. So we know we’re in a tough race."