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How would having more Republicans in office make a difference in public corruption?
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. In 2022, Hawaii Democrats control everything and can make any decision they please without any checks or balances because of so few Republicans in office to act as a counterweight to their agenda. Those in power are emboldened to take chances because they don’t think they will get caught or be challenged.
People bribe Democrats in office because this is the culture of corruption that one-party politics brings. If you want to play, you have to pay. I recently visited a restaurant owner who told me how he did not want to “pay” so he does not have a liquor license. Others have said that it is just what you do.
Democrats here aren’t a party, they are the government itself, in whole. We need to elect Republicans so we can restore checks and balances and break up the Democratic monopoly.
How would you say the Republican Party in Hawaii has changed in the last 10 years, if at all?
While the number of Republicans in local office may have changed, the one thing that has not changed is our commitment to lean government, personal liberty, and protecting our families and neighborhoods. Our values do not change and our purpose remains the same, to stand up for Hawaii and to give future generations something they can be proud of.
As Democrats become more arrogant and their policies move far to the left, our God-given rights are taken away, inflation skyrockets, and businesses close. This might be the motivation that is needed for voters to vote their values and not their Democrat tradition.
With all seats up this year, what approach are you taking to recruiting candidates?
Look, Identify, Ask. Right now the people of Hawaii need to know that we are doing everything we can to find courageous candidates of the highest level of integrity and honor. Many of our candidates are pillars of the community such as local business owners, teachers, previous military, public servants and pastors.
For months, everyday hard-working, good people are inquiring about running for office. People feel Hawaii just isn’t the same anymore and that our islands have lost touch with what makes our islands a place where one can grow up, enjoy life and retire without being severely affected by bad policies.
We also are aggressively mentoring and training the people who are preparing to run, so that they have all the tools they need to be competitive against Democrats. I am very enthusiastic about Election 2022 and we have great people and great things to offer Hawaii’s voters.
Do you think the Hawaii party is distinct in some way from GOP trends nationally?
Our Victory 2022 Campaign “Stand For Hawaii” is all about putting Hawaii and Hawaii’s people first! This is a question that is often deployed as a “gotcha” to divide and conquer local Republicans by attempting to associate our party with national personalities that local voters may not like.
This distracts from the most important distinction of all, and that is, are Hawaii Democrats, with almost three-quarters of a century in power, doing any better than mainland Democrats?
When the trend right now is nationwide prices that are breaking our wallets, nationwide debt that is only getting worse, and nationwide policies that are making it hard for young people to get a job, buy a home, and start a family,
I’d say that there is no distinction between the bad Democrats on the mainland and the bad Democrats in Hawaii. If people want a better future in our Aloha State, Stand For Hawaii and vote for Hawaii Republicans.
What are the primary issues you believe candidates should emphasize?
We are not going to micromanage our candidates’ beliefs; every candidate has unique district- and statewide concerns that they are going to have to stand for or stand against.
There is one major issue that we believe is a root cause for most of society’s detrimental problems and an area that desperately needs a solution and that’s affordable housing. Cost for the basic need of shelter has been one of the most pressing issues as families move to other states thousands of miles away.
But at the core of every Hawaii Republican running for office is the belief that things can be better, that we deserve more than just more of the same, and that Hawaii residents deserve a standard of living that is worthy of all their highest hopes and aspirations.
We’re the party that tells you, “work hard, dream big, and we’ll make sure no one stands in your way, because that is the American dream.” Republicanism is about freedom and choice, just like many of our forefathers chose when they emigrated to these islands from other countries. And that’s what we will emphasize above all else.
THE BIO FILE
>> Title: State chair, Hawaii Republican Party
>> Professional history: Eight years in the state House of Representatives, five years as minority leader; five years as executive director of the Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network; three years as COO at Waialae Elementary PCS; and assistant head of school at Hanalani Schools.
>> Personal: Grew up in Waianae; married 27 years to Peter Finnegan, retired captain in the Honolulu Fire Department. Mother of Pi‘ikea and Douglas Finnegan; daughter of Francisca and Douglas Berbano. Has Flopsie (a Labrador) and Terabyte (Chihuahua/Terrier).
>> Current community service: Ho‘omalu, a nonprofit that provides skills-based education and career mentorship programs for Native Hawaiian youth.
>> One more thing: I decided to semi-retire in April 2021. When the 2022 election is over, I hope to take a break and take a RV trip across the United States.
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