Editorial: Case, Tokuda for U.S. House

Hawaii voters will choose three people to represent them in Congress this year: one senator and two representatives. On the U.S. Senate side, the Democratic incumbent, Brian Schatz, appears to be a lock for reelection.

For the U.S. House, however, the situation is more dynamic, at least on the Democratic side of the ballot. Voters have solid choices among the top Democratic contenders — four candidates who have demonstrated strong knowledge of the issues and a commitment to take on the difficult work of legislating in uncertain times.

In the 1st Congressional District (urban Oahu), incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Case faces Sergio Alcubilla, a public-interest attorney who is new to electoral politics.

Case’s moderate-to-conservative views often have put him at odds with progressives in his party. For instance, his critics complained that his reluctance to fully support the Build Back Better (BBB) bill — a massive investment in social services and climate change — showed he was out of touch with his constituents and Hawaii’s needs.

Alcubilla stands as the progressive alternative. Alcubilla supports BBB, the Green New Deal and taking stronger action against excessive corporate profits fueled by inflation. He has the endorsement of progressive leaders and a large number of public and private local labor unions.

Nonetheless, we recommend that voters choose Case. The incumbent holds the advantage of experience and know-how to navigate what will undoubtedly be the treacherous waters of the 118th Congress — one in which the Democratic majority could be weakened, if not eliminated altogether.

Seen outside the heat of partisan battle, Case’s track record generally has reflected Hawaii’s interests. The national AFL-CIO gave him a 95% score for voting with working people in 2021. The League of Conservation Voters, an environmental policy group, gave him a 100% score for supporting environmental causes in 2021. He did vote for a trimmed-down version of BBB. He also has a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, and takes credit for helping obtain $1.1 billion in funding to address the Red Hill crisis.

Among other parties on the ballot, three candidates are seeking the Republican nomination: Conrad Kress, Patrick C. Largey and Arturo Reyes. Kress and Largey, both military veterans with conservative views, offer voters a distinct alternative.

In the 2nd Congressional district (rural Oahu, neighbor islands), we recommend a vote for Jill Tokuda.

Tokuda served in the state Senate from 2006 to 2018, at one point chairing the Ways and Means Committee. Her primary opponent, Patrick Branco, is completing his first term in public office, representing state House District 50.

Both candidates have some similar views. Their top priority is tackling the high cost of living in Hawaii. Both believe elements of BBB should be revived to help working families, including pre-K education and child care.

Unlike Tokuda, Branco has experience working in Washington, D.C., and abroad, having served in the U.S. State Department’s diplomatic corps. He has a bright future as a public servant.

But Tokuda has something more. She has a solid record of leadership experience as a legislator. The mother of two sons, she has life experience that will inform her priorities for legislation supporting families struggling to make ends meet, especially in the rural areas she would represent. She’s a small-business owner. And as a consultant for the Hawaii Data Collaborative, she has tracked the myriad sources of federal funding for COVID-19 coming to Hawaii.

Besides Tokuda and Branco, there are four other Democrats seeking this seat: Kyle Yoshida, Nicole Gi, Brendan Schultz and Steven Sparks. On the Republican side, Joseph Webster and Joe Akana are on the ballot. Akana, who also ran in 2020, wants to maximize business growth, amend the Jones Act, eliminate the general excise tax on groceries, household items and over-the-counter medications, squarely face the China threat and constrain federal spending.

Finally, the U.S. Senate race features Schatz running against perennial candidate Steve Tataii for the Democratic nomination. There are eight candidates in four other parties, including five Republicans.

Schatz is the clear choice here, having been a vocal and effective advocate for Hawaii’s interests since he first took office in 2012.