Candidates face off to fill 3 Honolulu City Council seats

It’s a diverse competition for three Honolulu City Council seats to be filled at the direction of voters in the upcoming general election, with head-to-head contests between a longtime government employee and a home builder, a pair of top assistants to politicians, and a veteran state lawmaker and a popular entertainer.

The three races were set up after the Aug. 8 primary produced the top two vote-getters for each seat, and the difference in votes for each pair was fairly tight —ranging from 787 to 1,350. So on Nov. 3, there could be some nail-biting.

The highest-profile pairing in the Council races involves former state Sen. Will Espero and comedian Augusto “Augie T” Tulba vying to replace Ron Menor in the district representing residents from parts of Ewa Beach to Mililani.

Espero, 59, served in the Senate for 16 years through 2018 after three years in the state House. He moved to Ewa Beach in 1989 and said he represents working, middle-class families and understands how local government operates.

Tulba, 52, grew up in Kam IV housing and has spent 28 years entertaining local audiences with his humor. Tulba also has been an executive assistant to former Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi and former Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui. He said part of his focus will be to keep cultural lifestyles and values intact.

In the primary election, Espero received 10,621 votes to Tulba’s 9,812, while a third candidate got 6,332 votes.

A second Council contest involves two newcomers to elected office, Esther Kiaaina and Greg Thielen, who are vying to fill the seat recently vacated by Ikaika Anderson in the district covering Waimanalo to Kaneohe.

Kiaaina, 57, has been a state Department of Land and Natural Resources first deputy, Office of Hawaiian Affairs chief advocate and U.S. Department of the Interior assistant secretary for Insular Areas in the administration of President Barack Obama. She also has been chief of staff to Hawaii Congressman Ed Case and a legislative assistant to the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. Kiaaina said her cumulative work experience and determination will serve residents in the Windward Council district.

Thielen, 52, was born and raised in the district, where he also runs a small home-building business. He said he will help turn around an all-time low credibility and accountability in city government. Thielen is the son of state Rep. Cynthia Thielen and brother of state Sen. Laura Thielen, both of whom are leaving office. Thielen said that though he is proud to have them as role models he is not asking for their votes to be his.

In the primary election, Kiaaina received 10,398 votes to Thielen’s 9,048, while four other candidates split 13,626 votes.

The third Council contest involves a pair of chief staffers to local politicians. Radiant Cordero and Jacob Aki are vying to fill the Council seat of Joey Manahan representing the district from Kalihi to Foster Village.

Cordero, 30, is Manahan’s chief of staff. She said Manahan’s district needs a leader not subject to a learning curve, and that her experience includes 10 years working in local government along with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Hawaii.

Aki, 25, is chief of staff to state Sen. J. Kalani English of Maui and also is a member of the Kalihi-Palama Neighborhood Board. Aki, who grew up at Kamehameha Homes in Kalihi and previously worked for the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Kamehameha Schools, said his work for the Senate majority leader has given him experience covering various levels of government.

In the primary election, Cordero received 7,258 votes, and Aki received 6,471 votes. A third candidate received 1,563 votes.

For all six candidates campaigning to be on the City Council, lengthy answers to questions pertaining to issues including rail, homelessness, COVID-19 are posted at staradvertiser.com/election-candidates.

Winners picked by voters in the Nov. 3 election will earn four-year terms on the nine-member Council that makes policy decisions for a city government that will have a new mayor next year.

Two other new Council members were picked by voters in the primary election because they received more than half of all votes cast and avoided a general election runoff.

In the primary election, former state lawmaker Andria Tupola won the seat to be vacated by Kym Pine representing portions of Ewa Beach to the Waianae Coast. Former state lawmaker Calvin Say won the seat to be vacated by Ann Kobayashi representing Kaimuki to Ala Moana.

Together, the five newly elected Council members will join four continuing members — Heidi Tsuneyoshi, Tommy Waters, Carol Fukunaga and Brandon Elefante.

To view the full Star-Advertiser 2020 General Election guide, go to https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/10/18/special-sections/2020-general-election/