Rep. Kanoho goes for 20th year, but it’s the last time, he says

Ending weeks of speculation and posturing by would-be replacements, state Rep. Ezra Kanoho, D-Lihu‘e-Koloa, has decided he’ll run for re-election for his 15th District House seat.

After he got the OK from wife Pauline, of course.

He announced Monday that his 10th consecutive term would be his last, if he is re-elected.

Family played a pivotal role in his decision, said Kanoho, who had earlier told his campaign committee he was leaning toward retiring from politics to spend more time with his family.

His campaign committee suggested he give the initial leaning a bit more thought.

“I feel a responsibility to my family and Pauline. After 18 years, it’s been hard for her,” said Kanoho.

She would rather he didn’t seek re-election this year, but left the final decision up to him, he said.

“One more term,” he said. Kanoho, 76, said part of his decision to run again is based on how young he feels. “That’s part of the equation as well, feeling young, energetic,” and continuing to have a basic need to fulfill a sense of accomplishment, he said.

Then there is the matter of some “unfinished business” he feels he can wrap up in one more, two-year term.

“There’s some unfinished business I have to tend to,” on important matters like ensuring that important agricultural lands in the state are conserved and protected, and preventing multi-million-dollar mansions from popping up on conservation land, he said.

He’d also like to work on a plan to make state land available for low-income residents so they will be able to purchase or lease property, he said.

“A big issue for me is determining how best to use public land-trust revenues to better the conditions of Native Hawaiians,” he added.

“I think we will be successful in some of those unfinished issues.”

Kanoho pulled papers to run for re-election last week, and already has more than the required number of signatures from registered voters in his district to file those papers, he said.