Candidates reflect range of ideologies

Hyperbole has it that Hawaii is a one-party state dominated by Democrats, but that’s not entirely true. Many races this election year feature candidates from more than one party, including Republicans, Libertarians and Greens — even if many of them are people who have passion but scant knowledge or experience in the legislative process.

Today, the Star-Advertiser offers the second of three days of state House endorsements, for contested Oahu seats from Districts 29-37:

>> District 29 (Chinatown-Iwilei-Kalihi-Palama): This race seems to be Democrat Daniel Holt’s for the taking, after Karl Rhoads vacated the seat to run for the Senate office vacated by Suzanne Chun Oakland. Holt prevailed over four other Democrats in the primary, and he should easily prevail against Republican rival Kaiwiola Coakley, a missionary and public service worker. Born and raised in Kalihi, Holt is a former Kalihi-Palama Neighborhood Board chairman. He also is politically well-connected: he is the Senate’s assistant sergeant-at-arms, was legislative director for then-Senate President Donna Mercado Kim in 2012-14, and his father is former Sen. Milton Holt.

>> District 31 (Fort-Shafter-Moanalua Gardens-Aliamanu): Incumbent Aaron Ling Johanson used to be a Republican — serving as House minority whip from 2011-13 and minority leader from 2013-14 — but switched to the Democratic Party two months after being re-elected in 2014; generally, though, his views align as a moderate Republican. The official Republican on the ballot is neighborhood board member and landscaping contractor Eric H.L. Ching, whose stated positions also are generally moderate, but comes without experience in the legislative realm.

>> District 34 (Pearl City-Waimalu-Pacific Palisades): Incumbent Democrat Gregg Takayama has served his constituents reasonably well since taking office in 2013, most recently as House Public Safety chairman and on advocacy for senior-interest issues such as Kupuna Care and the CARE Act. Still, he is facing one of the strongest Republican challengers to come along in awhile, Jaci Agustin, a former Mrs. Hawaii and YMCA of Honolulu program manager, who earned 40 percent of the vote against Takayama in 2014. Her focuses on aging issues and civic engagement resonate — but her views on police oversight and disclosure, compared with Takayama’s, are too hands-off.

>> District 35 (Pearl City-Waipio-Pearl Harbor): Incumbent Democrat Roy Takumi has our support, though it might be coming with a big price tag: The House Education chairman wants to establish an after-school program for middle-schoolers similar to the A+ program for elementary students — a fine idea but one that clearly would cost. Republican Roger Clemente, who works for the Honolulu Elderly Affairs Division, seems truly public spirited, but is vague on taxes and unspecific on how he would achieve his laudable goals of “better education, health, safety, economy, sustainability” and improved senior services and benefits. He could end up being expensive, too.

>> District 36 (Mililani-Mililani Mauka-Waipio Acres): The time might be right for the former incumbent, Democrat Marilyn B. Lee, to be returned to office. The current incumbent, Republican Beth Fukumoto Chang, first won the seat in 2012, and though she is House minority leader, has otherwise been unable to make much headway in the Democrat-heavy House; there is talk of her bolting to the Democrats if she is re-elected. Lee, meanwhile, has remained very active in the community since leaving the Legislature, so we believe she still could be very effective were she to return to the body she once served for 16 years.

>> District 37 (Mililani-Waipio-Waikele): Democratic incumbent Ryan Yamane has been a reliable legislator since taking office in 2005 — a former social worker who also has a master’s degree in business administration so is sensitive to the effect of taxes and fees on those struggling to get by. His interests range from the environment to commerce and consumer protection, and his name is attached to many measures that have made their way through the Legislature. Republican Katherine Kupukaa, an adult supervisor seeking office for the first time, has testified at public hearings and been active in the Stop Rail effort.