Today’s editorial starts with a grace note: A sincere mahalo to all candidates who put time and effort into running for elective office. Putting oneself on the campaign trail — a gruelling public scrutiny that ranges from applause to slings and arrows — takes stamina, as well as steadfast conviction in the cause.
Such stamina was on full display in the marquee race of Saturday’s primary election: the solid victory of Democratic incumbent Gov. David Ige over challenger Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa. It was a stunning reversal from five short months ago, when polls showed Hanabusa with a double-digit lead, and prominent politicians from former governors to current legislative leaders publicly supporting her. In the end, though, enough voters believed in Ige’s trustworthiness and governance to give him the win over Hanabusa, 51.4 percent to 44.4 percent.
Now comes an intriguing general-election showdown between the low-drama Ige and the Republican winner, Nanakuli lawmaker Andria Tupola, a high-energy, articulate politician. Both will need to hone their messages and strategic visions for Hawaii, beyond the broad-strokes talking points that have gotten them to this point. While both have steadily improved on the primary campaign trail, voters will be demanding cogent action plans on critical issues ranging from affordable housing and homelessness, to tourism maintenance and sustainability, to smart development and environmental balance.
Political-partywise, Ige faces an uphill climb to achieve unity with legislative leaders and union heavyweights who had turned their backs on him to support Hanabusa. For Tupola, she will need to inspire members of a barebones Republican Party — plus many other independents and moderates — to rally to her cause.
Ige should have an asset in his lieutenant governor running mate — Josh Green, who bested Jill Tokuda by a mere 3 percentage points, 31.4 percent to 28.6 percent. Near the end of Saturday night, Ige and Green struck the right, unified notes, focusing on homelessness and health-care concerns such as opioid abuse. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen what Republican Marissa Kerns, a business owner who emerged as Tupola’s running mate after squeaking past Steve Lipscomb, will bring to the ticket.
Also noteworthy on primary-election night: Hawaii’s propensity to re-elect incumbents got a welcome shakeup, with deserving newcomers snagging wins. In Senate District 12, Kakaako community activist Sharon Moriwaki unseated Brickwood Galuteria, and educator Amy Perruso defeated Lei Learmont in House District 46 (Wahiawa). Other surprises included Big Island incumbent Rep. Cindy Evans’ loss to David Tarnas, a former legislator; and political neophyte Lisa Kitagawa besting former lawmakers Jessica Wooley and Kika Bukoski for the open Kahaluu-Ahuimanu House seat.
Voters’ willingness to invest in new names and fresh outlooks extended even to the City Council, where newcomer Heidi Tsuneyoshi handily beat veteran politician Robert “Bobby” Bunda with 53.5 percent of the vote to win the North Shore seat outright; impressive considering Bunda’s name recognition. Also averting a Council general-election runoff was Makiki incumbent Carol Fukunaga, who won 52.6 percent of the vote despite being targeted by late-hour negative ads.
In fact, despite large sums of money spent by political action committees (PACs), much of which went into attack campaigning, voters generally rejected the ugliness — and that’s worth applauding.
As campaigns heat up over the next few months, it’s a valuable lesson: Negativity will breed contempt and backlash. Keep the focus on issues and actions that will better and buoy Hawaii. Now onward to the general election.
