Race is on to fill Maui’s District 7 Senate seat vacated by J. Kalani English

Maui County Democrats are already jockeying to fill the seat left vacant by J. Kalani English, who announced Tuesday that he was retiring from his two-decade career in the Senate to tend to ongoing health problems that have resulted from a November coronavirus infection.

Rep. Lynn DeCoite, who has the backing of English, is vying for the seat, as is well-known political activist Walter Ritte. The two Molokai residents competed last year for DeCoite’s House seat, with DeCoite narrowly holding onto her post after defeating Ritte by fewer than 100 votes.

Maui County Councilwoman Yuki Lei Sugimura has also expressed interest in the seat, as has former Maui Democratic Party Chairman Timothy Lara. Members of the Democratic Party have also mentioned Keoni Kuoha, who is serving on the Maui Charter Commission, as a potential contender.

The District 7 senate seat includes East and Upcountry Maui, Lanai and Molokai. Precinct officers from House Districts 12 and 13 will vote in the coming weeks on three potential candidates to fill the Senate seat. Those names will then be forwarded to Gov. David Ige, who is required to make a selection by the end of June, 60 days after English’s May 1 retirement date. Sixty to 75 party officers are expected to participate in the voting process, the methodology of which has yet to be determined, said Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, chairman of the Hawaii Democratic Party.

Unexpected vacancies often attract strong interest, allowing potential candidates who lack widespread name recognition or political campaign experience a better shot at claiming a seat outside of the normal election process. Being an incumbent then sets them up to better compete in a primary and general election. For example, seven candidates competed last year for the Senate District 1 seat left vacant by Kai Kahele, who was elected to Congress. Ige in January appointed Laura Acasio, a teacher, to fill the seat representing the greater Hilo area.

In announcing his retirement, English threw his support behind DeCoite, saying that the district deserved a “seasoned person” who “understands the budget, understands the district.”

DeCoite was appointed to her current House seat by Gov. David Ige in 2015 following the death of former Rep. Mele Carroll. She’s defended the seat in the past three elections.

The endorsement is a boost for DeCoite, who soon released a statement saying she would apply for the seat.

“There is no doubt that Sen. English leaves very big shoes to fill,” she said, adding that the district needs someone who can foster the relationships that he has built over the years.

“I’m confident that if appointed, I can hit the ground running and continue my work of improving the quality of life for all who call Maui Nui home,” said DeCoite.

Ritte has his supporters as well, including party officers who are already advocating on his behalf.

“We are pushing really hard to try to get a progressive voice — a true progressive,” said Sean Lester, who is an officer in District 13 and is backing Ritte.

Ritte and DeCoite have clashed over issues relating to the use of Hawaii land to grow genetically modified seed corn. Ritte has been a leader in the movement against the GMO companies, while DeCoite, a sweet- potato farmer, has been supportive of their operations. For several years she farmed GMO seed corn under a contract with Monsanto in an effort to diversify her farming operation, though no longer does so.

Ritte said that if chosen, he hopes to move the state further toward self-reliance, particularly in food production.

“I want to create jobs that enhance the environment instead of just keep taking from the environment for monetary gain at the expense of the environment,” he told the Honolulu Star- Advertiser. “The path that we are on now is a short-term path, and it doesn’t look good for our future generations.”

Also vying is Lara, a former Maui Democratic Party chairman, environmentalist and owner of Hawaiian Paddle Sports, an eco-tourism company. Lara says that if appointed to the Senate seat, he would only serve the rest of the term, which ends in November 2022, in order to provide a more fair and democratic playing field during the next election.

Lara, who lives on Lanai, says that as a senator he would continue English’s advocacy on environmental and water rights issues. “Those are the things that are close to my heart as well,” said Lara, who is also a past chairman of the Maui Surfrider Foundation.

Sugimura, who is serving her fifth year as a member of the Maui County Council, also plans to apply for the seat. She formerly ran a consulting firm and served as a Maui community liaison for former U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono.

Sugimura, who lives in Upcountry Maui, said the Senate seat would allow her to tackle broader issues affecting the community, including homelessness and housing development.

“I really see it as a way of helping a greater population base and taking broader strokes to issues,” she said.

Anyone is eligible to apply to fill the seat so long as they’ve been a member of the Democratic Party for at least six months and live in the district. Party officials are expected to make applications available in about a week.