However the general election turns out, it’ll represent the most significant youth movement in Hawaii’s highest offices since the early days of statehood.
When David Ige, 57, defeated 76-year-old Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the Democratic primary, it meant a transfer of power from our last top official born before World War II to a baby boomer.
It’ll hold whatever happens in the general election, where Ige faces Republican James "Duke" Aiona, 59, Independent Mufi Hannemann, 60, and Libertarian Jeff Davis, 57.
While age wasn’t the issue that brought Abercrombie down, it figured prominently in Democratic races for the U.S. Senate, lieutenant governor and the 1st Congressional District.
In all cases, voters passed over well-known baby boomers in favor of upstart Generation Xers.
Age ruled the Senate contest between U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, 41, and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, 63, which Schatz won by 1,782 votes.
When Abercrombie ignored the late Sen. Daniel Inouye’s wish that Hanabusa succeed him and appointed Schatz, his main reason was that Schatz was young enough to amass the Senate seniority Inouye used to Hawaii’s advantage.
Voters narrowly agreed.
In the Democratic battles for the U.S. House and lieutenant governor, youth was served with victory percentages well into the double digits.
For Congress, state Rep. Mark Takai, 47, lapped favored state Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, 61, and five others, and now faces Republican Charles Djou, 44.
Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui, 43, easily held off better-known state Sen. Clayton Hee, 61.
For perspective, before the 2012 election the average age of Hawaii’s top five office holders — governor and the four congressional delegates — was 74.8.
However 2014 turns out, the average age for those same positions — with U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, 66, and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, 33, included — will be under 50, a significant generational shift.
There’s grousing that the younger candidates aren’t necessarily the best and brightest of their generations.
That’s subjective; what’s not is that they all took risks to seek greater responsibility, while most of their peers shrank away.
Ige, Schatz and Takai were among the few willing to give up safe legislative seats to offer themselves for higher office.
Tsutsui heeded the governor’s call to leave his secure state Senate presidency to become LG.
Aiona and Djou are the only high-profile Republicans left fighting to preserve a two-party system by flying under a GOP banner that’s become dead weight in Hawaii.
Give Hannemann credit for believing in himself enough to plug away despite humbling losses.
They’re the ones from their generations who have stepped up, and that’s worthy of respect.
Their burden will be to deliver the energy and fresh leadership voters crave, and resist pressure to become loyal junior members of the moribund status quo.
