Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui is asking voters to keep him on the job — one that he has yet to be elected to.
Tsutsui on Thursday officially started his campaign for lieutenant governor, a post to which he was appointed in December after Brian Schatz was chosen to fill the vacancy in the U.S. Senate left by the death of Daniel Inouye.
Tsutsui, as state Senate president, was next in line for the state’s No. 2 elected job.
"In this short time, I have learned much about the responsibilities of the office and look forward to continuing to work on initiatives and programs," Tsutsui, 41, said in a news release. "Going forward, I will continue to follow my philosophy of balancing the needs of today while keeping an eye on the future."
He is the first declared candidate for the office, although state Rep. Calvin Say (D, Palolo-St. Louis Heights-Kaimuki), former House Speaker, said he is "pretty serious" about a run and has set up an exploratory committee.
"We have a group that’s looking at it from the neighbor islands and Oahu," Say, 61, said Thursday. "They’re looking at it very closely to determine how much people have to fund-raise and all of that, first."
Say, who was the state’s longest-serving House speaker before being ousted last year, acknowledged the "political reality" of his waning support in the House and said it may be time to move on from the Legislature.
"After four years, I may be in line for running for the governorship," he said.
Tsutsui was first elected to the state Senate in 2002, representing Central Maui. He was selected by his peers as Senate president in 2010 and again in 2012.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who appointed Tsutsui, said he has his full confidence. In Hawaii, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run independently in the primary, then join as a ticket for the general election.
"I am continually impressed with his core values and skills as a leader," Abercrombie said in a statement on his website. "A proven team player, he has provided valuable counsel and guidance to me and my administration, particularly on legislative priorities."
Shortly after his announcement, Tsutsui picked up an endorsement by the Hawaii Construction Alliance.
"Shan Tsutsui has proven himself to be a forward thinking leader as our lieutenant governor," Peter Ganaban, business manager of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 368, said in a news release. "His efforts have helped to create jobs and improve our state’s infrastructure at this critical time." The union represents more than 15,000 workers here.
