Hawaii GOP looking ahead to ‘a new day’

The Hawaii Republican Party is looking forward to “a new day” after struggling for years to field competitive candidates in this heavily Democratic state.

Republicans hold just one state Senate seat and five House seats in the 76-­member Legislature. There are no Republicans in the Hawaii congressional delegation, and the last Republican governor was Linda Lingle, who left office in 2010.

But the state GOP is hopeful coming out of its convention at the King Kameha­- meha Golf Club on Maui this month where more than 200 voting delegates attended.

State Republican Party Chairwoman Shirlene DelaCruz Ostrov was elected to a second two-year term as party chairwoman, and party officials said in a news release that “the results not only solidified overwhelming support for Ostrov, but in a refreshing display of cohesiveness, the lopsided win for Ostrov’s hand-selected leadership team also ushered in a new day for the Hawaii GOP.”

Ostrov was opposed by Kauai Republican Dave Hamman but was reelected by a vote of 168 delegates to 37.

Ostrov said in a written statement that “delegates from across the islands gathered in Maui, elected a unified slate of strong Conservative leaders and voted overwhelmingly for a change to ‘politics as usual.’ And change is just what the Hawaii Republican Party is going to deliver!”

The party has been divided into sometimes bitter factions, including the Hawaii Republican Assembly, or HIRA. HIRA has been an outspoken critic of GOP party leaders including former Rep. Andria Tupola, who ran for governor in 2018, House Minority Leader Gene Ward and Ostrov.

HIRA’s fierce online and social media attacks often criticize party leaders for being too accommodating to the ruling Democrats, and some Republicans say privately those attacks have made it particularly difficult to recruit attractive candidates to the party.

The division within the party flared again in the days leading up to this year’s state convention, casting some doubt on the leaders’ pledge to deliver change.

This recent dispute involved complaints by Hamman about the seating of delegates to the state convention.

Hamman alleged the Kauai GOP — led by Steve Yoder — violated party rules and improperly appointed delegates hand-picked by Yoder to attend the county convention in March. Those delegates were then eligible to serve as delegates to the state convention that was held earlier this month.

Hamman also ran for county chairman, and lost to Yoder by four votes. He went on to challenge Yoder’s election as county chairman, a challenge that was later rejected by the state party.

Yoder said in an interview that county delegates are supposed to be appointed on a first-come, first-served basis, and Hamman was refusing to appoint some would-be delegates who had submitted their names. Hamman wanted to decide who would serve as delegates in his district, which is not allowed, Yoder said.

Yoder said he then appointed delegates because Hamman was not following the proper process. However, Hamman said in an interview that it was Yoder who violated party rules by appointing delegates when he did not have the authority to do so.

Hamman said he is seriously considering starting another political party because he is upset at what he believes are blatant violations of party rules by Yoder and state party officials.

Elected at the state convention along with Ostrov was Vice Chairman of Coordinated Campaigns Al Frenzel, Vice Chairman of Candidate Recruitment and Training Jane Tatibouet, Vice Chairman of Communications Ray L’Heureux, Vice Chairman of Community Service Steve Lipscomb, Vice Chairman of Coalitions Rojo Herrera, Secretary Ka‘eo Kealoha-Lindsey and Treasurer Marilyn Moniz.