Our endorsements for state Senate
In the general election, there are seven Senate seats up for grabs on Oahu. Our recommendations:
>> District 9 (Diamond Head-Kahala-Hawaii Kai): This competitive race features two candidates with deep roots in East Honolulu. The similarities end there. As the sole Republican in the 25-member state Senate, the 20-year incumbent, Sam Slom, 74, has been a lonely voice for limited government, lower taxes and budget transparency. His Democratic opponent, lawyer Stanley Chang, 34, is Slom’s ideological opposite. He favors increasing public investment in education and affordable housing; as a Honolulu City Council member from 2011 to 2015, Chang advocated for more spending on road maintenance, and pushed for bans on plastic bags and on smoking in public places. Chang has supported Honolulu’s rail transit system, while Slom does not — a critical difference, since the Legislature likely will be asked to extend the general excise tax surcharge to keep the expensive project rolling.
Chang, who was born in the district, is a capable politician, and we often disagree with Slom. Nonetheless, Slom should be re-elected. A former chief economist for Bank of Hawaii and a champion of small business, Slom is a principled lawmaker who provides a much-needed counterweight to political conformity — necessary for the health of a deliberative body. Some of his Democratic colleagues may hold similar views, but none are as fearless in promoting them as Slom, who is not under the thumb of Senate leadership.
>> District 10 (Moiliili-Kaimuki-Palolo): The incumbent Democrat, Les Ihara, is our choice. He has long been a champion of good government, advocating for electoral reform and transparency, including stronger financial disclosure laws for lawmakers and lobbyists. His opponent is Libertarian Arnold T. Phillips II, an attorney. Among other goals, Phillips wants to build an “innovation economy” to create new jobs in the technology sector, and develop long-range plans to address climate change.
>> District 11 (Manoa-Makiki- Tantalus): This race features the incumbent, Democrat Brian Taniguchi, against Republican Kaui Amsterdam and Libertarian Joe Kent. Taniguchi has been a reliable representative for his constituents; he served in the Legislature for 26 years, and District 11 voters have seen fit to keep him in the Senate since 1994.
>> District 13 (Downtown-Nuuanu-Liliha): As a state representative for 10 years, Karl Rhoads has proven himself as an able policymaker who should move to the Senate. With affordable housing as a critical issue for his constituents, he advanced legislation to save Kukui Gardens and renovate Mayor Wright Homes. He faces Libertarian Harry Ozols, who would hold the line on tax increases and clear barriers to small business growth; and Republican Rod Tam, who famously pleaded guilty to theft and falsification charges stemming from meal reimbursements the former City Councilman received from the city.
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>> District 15 (Kalihi-Aliamanu-Salt Lake): Glenn Wakai, the Democratic incumbent, is running against Libertarian Roman Kalinowski. Wakai, who was first elected to the Senate in 2010, has the experience that makes him the clear choice.
>> District 19 (Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point): Community activist Kurt Fevella, a Republican, faces incumbent Democrat Will Espero. Both men are fixtures in the community, but Espero’s ability to navigate the Legislature gives him the edge. Espero has drawn headlines for his efforts to increase police accountability and transparency. Fevella, president of the Ewa Beach Lions Club, wants to tackle street-level concerns: an overcrowded and overheated Campbell High School, the homeless and pedestrian safety. Both candidates oppose an Ige administration plan to raise vehicle weight and gas taxes and registration fees.
>> District 25 (Kailua-Waimanalo-Hawaii Kai): Our choice is incumbent Laura Thielen, who has distinguished herself as a sophisticated, hard-working advocate for her constituents, effectively advancing such issues as environmental protection and open, responsive government. Her opponent, Republican Robert Nagamine, a retired military chaplain, wants to promote policies that strengthen families and children.
32 responses to “Our endorsements for state Senate”
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Thank you SA for your endorsement of Slom. While I don’t know much about him and I don’t think very highly about anyone who has been in office for more than one term, I believe this State needs an opposition party. I also have issues with politicians, like Chang, who has made it very clear that his goals far exceed the State Senate. IMO, anyone who chooses politics before they have an established career is doing it without needed skills and probably for the fame and ill gotten fortune. This country needs less career politicians.
“”Sam Slom, 74, has been a lonely voice for limited government, lower taxes and budget transparency.””
It’s unbelievable how people in Hawaii do not like to vote for politicians who favor lower taxes, limited government and budget transparency.
Most people who run on the platform of lower taxes and transparency are soundly defeated.
Sam’s not “local” looking enough, like MooFee and Hanabatta
SA says they don’t agree with all his positions. Out of curiosity, I wonder which ones. Hi needs more Slom’s in Government, period. When one party is in control, you end up with things like the ACA.
Or do nothing self servers like KROOK Cadwell
As always, this newspaper endorses the incumbent for every position. Are we surprised? Slom is the only incumbent I would vote for.
I blame our one party system as the main reason Hawaii is ranked near last in very important measurement meaningful to the average Hawaii resident. Hawaii’ voters are unbelievably tolerant of the steady rain of unacceptable performance measurements we hear almost everyday. I know it is ultimately up to the voters who gets elected, it could be helpful if SA should pay more attention to the benefits of a two party system. Look at the broken promises and failures of Obama Care as a good example of one party control. Thanks SA for acknowledging Sam Sloan but for some reason you didn’t cover anything about what he stands for. Instead you touted some of Stan Chang’s ideas which are already well represented in our one party state.
I blame the republican party for abandoning republican principles. Growing up republicans were for small government and balanced budgets. Sadly when they took over the government in 2001, deficits don’t matter and big government was pushed. When will republicans get back to basics?
boots only votes for people with a (D) next to their name, regardless of their values or positions on issues.
Not true as I vote for Cynthia Thielen. But voting for republicans generally is a vote for hypocrisy.
Boots – What’s the hypocrisy?
Thielen is a RINO
Boots, When the Republicans were in power, I agree, they spent too much, but guess what, the Democrats wanted them to spend even more. You should be for Trump in this election. He’ll “drain the swamp”.
What a shocker!! The S/A endorses the status quo. Let’s keep those Dems in office, right? They have systematically destroyed our state, but with the most government employees, per capita, in the nation, nothing will change here. We no longer elect statesmen, we elect politicians, and those politicians seek but one thing: “where can I dip my beak, and for how long?” It’s way past time we threw the bums out. If you don’t think they are totally corrupt, just read the charter amendments. Set aside a few hours to get through the bs, as most of them ask two or three questions under the same amendment. Total BS.
Sadly republicans don’t offer anything. At one time republicans were for less government and balanced budgets. Today, Deficits don’t matter and large government is needed. How sad.
When will republicans stop pushing for more government?
I must have missed hearing the democrats call for smallet government. All I’ve heard has been more giveaways and larger government. More social programs, free college tuition, more regulations, etc. I agree that the republicans are worthless but I only hear you bash them and not the democrats.
Doesn’t really matter what democrats stand for. Republicans have stood for smaller government but when they took over government, they pushed big government. Their new saying is deficits don’t matter. I bash republicans because they are just hypocrites. Democrats while far from perfect, at least try to do the right thing. Sadly the same cannot be said of republicans. (Except for Cynthia)
Your sweet Hellary Clinton is for bigger government, more entitlements, and government secrecy.
Keolu, you might be right but the fact is republicans are also for bigger government while they say they are not. Hypocrisy pure and simple. The Donald is just for more government spending on wasteful projects. No thanks. At least with Hillary, the economy will improve.
Let me make a prediction. The poor policies of O’bummer and Hellary will cause a stock market correction (crash) and boots will be blaming Reagan or Bush.
Boots, you not only spend most of your time criticizing republicans but you spend the rest of your time making excuses for democrats. Why don’t you be honest and own up to being a democrat.
Boots, you have some really strange positions. Something traumatic must have happened to you growing up. Are you in college?
It’s time for the status quo, in the person of Sam Slom, to go. He accomplishes nothing for the state or his district. His claim to fame is a bunch of floor speeches.
Slom helps to stop bad bills from passing, which in a state so stunted by red tape and unions is more than all the passed bills combined. And you neglect to consider the bills he introduces that get killed, reintroduced from the other side of the aisle, and passed. The “status quo,” here in the bluest state in the country, is the bureaucratic burden that lines the pockets of union honchos, lobbyists, special interests and other government leeches at taxpayer expense.
Slom is the only senator who stands up for the people.
Ironic, isn’t it, in a state corruptly owned by the Democratic Party?
Perfect example of the lying thief mentality that permeates the D party now: Krook Cadwell
Look at all the money the state could save by going to a one house government. Get rid of the House and just have one body… small like the Senate… Nothing gets passed in Hawaii unless they approve or initiate it anyway. Way more efficient and economical if the State government was the same size as the City Council. With only 9 members, if nothing else, we’d have more parking at the capitol building. LOL LOL LOL
100% agree. No reason we shouldn’t have a unicameral system.
Endorse all the incumbents and at the same time decry our low voter turnout. People no longer vote because over time they’ve learned that their vote doesn’t matter anyway.
Besides sticking around for 26 years what has Senator Taniguchi done to earn S-A endorsement? He did introduce SB2077 while at the same time working for HGEA so there’s that.
I can imagine how that meeting went. We have Senator Taniguchi running and a couple other guys, a Republican and a Libertarian running in District 11 who do we want to endorse? Ahahahaha. Sen. Taniguchi it is.
I wanted to vote for Sam Slom but won’t because he supports Donald Trump. In my opinion, Trump is unqualified to be president and poses a danger to our country if he is elected, and I can’t support any politician who supports him.