Candidates vie for state House seat in Ewa district

A veteran legislator and first-time House candidate are going head to head in a race for one of Oahu’s fastest-growing regions.

Rida Cabanilla, 65, a Democratic candidate, is running against Republican Chris Fidelibus, 36, to represent state House District 41 — covering Ewa Villages, Ewa Beach, Ewa Gentry, Ocean Pointe and West Loch.

Cabanilla represented the district from 2004 to 2014 but lost her seat following an ethics complaint over her role in obtaining a $100,000 grant for the Ewa Historical Society.

The state Ethics Commission closed the case in 2014 after Cabanilla, a board member of the society, gave assurances that she and her son, serving as vice president, did not receive compensation or grant funds from the nonprofit.

She is now trying to win back her constituents’ confidence. She says her focus is on improving traffic, reducing homelessness and supporting those with mental illness.

Fidelibus, owner of Waikiki Dive Center and RE/Max Platinum, said he’s running to improve Campbell High School and create trade and mentorship programs for children in the community.

Cabanilla rose through the ranks over the decade she served in the House of Representatives to become majority floor leader. She was previously a nurse for eight years at Kaiser Permanente and served for more than two decades in the military — first in the U.S. Army Reserve, then U.S. National Guard and active duty. She retired as a lieutenant colonel.

“The people in my district are basically happy with how things are, but if there is something they would like to change … it is the traffic situation,” she said, adding that residents would also like an auditorium for entertainment so they don’t have to drive into town. “That’s needed considering the west side is supposed to be a second city. There’s basically nothing there.”

Also on her list is renewable energy to “get off the grid” and homelessness.

“Once elected, of course, I’m going to focus on the needs of the district, but you cannot negate the needs of the entire state,” she said. “This homeless situation is really bringing the whole state down. This is not America anymore. It’s supposed to be the land of dreams, but you still see a lot of homeless.”

Her solution to the homeless problem would include getting the mentally ill off the streets and into asylums, she said.

“We need to start institutionalizing people rather than spending a lot of money in cleanups,” said Cabanilla, who owns urgent care and medical diagnostic clinics. “Those people who are crazy don’t realize they’re crazy. It used to be law that doctors could sign you into a mental institution.”

For his part, Fidelibus, who ran in 2016 as a Republican candidate for the state Senate, will push for facility improvements and trade programs at Campbell High School, as well as the creation of a business directory and the development of mentorship programs linking kids and entrepreneurs in the community.

“The cost of living in Hawaii is never going to go down. It’s only going to go up, so we have to teach our children,” he said. “We have a lot of self-employed people in Ewa Beach. We have a lot of kids who need mentors. There are kids going to school with dirty clothes who can’t afford school supplies. We have kids who can’t sign up for sports because their families don’t have enough money. These are things that are true to me and true to my heart.”

Fidelibus, whose wife, Len, runs a care home, started his dive shop in 2004 and became a Realtor in 2006.

“I feel that’s going to be the quickest way for us to make improvements in our community,” he said. “We try and set tasks that are accomplishable — things that we can achieve — not shoot for the stars.”