2010 election speculation

LIHU‘E — When it comes to politics, it all starts at the top, and speculation surrounding the 2010 election is no different.

With Gov. Linda Lingle’s second and final six-year term coming to a close after next year’s election, the vacancy created by her departure will start a ripple effect that reaches from Washington D.C. to Washington Place and even Kaua‘i County Council Chambers in Lihu‘e.

State and federal positions

Republican Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona is hoping to use his experience as the state’s No. 2 elected official to springboard a run at the top slot, and U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie has announced that he will run for the Democratic nomination for governor.

Former Democratic Congressman Ed Case, who represented Hawai‘i’s second district from 2002-2007, has announced he will run for Abercrombie’s vacated first-district seat. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono holds Case’s former seat and represents rural O‘ahu and the Neighbor Islands in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Hirono’s political ambitions for 2010 were unknown at press time.

Wailua resident and current Democratic Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser, D-Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau, has announced he will vacate his seat before his term ends and run for lieutenant governor.

“It’s certainly a fascinating year because Sen. Hooser has already announced for lieutenant governor, which poses the obvious question, ‘who would be our state senator?’” Kaua‘i County Councilman Tim Bynum said this week. “Certainly the speculation is all over town.”

The island’s three state representatives could be logical replacements, but two declined interest in recent interviews.

Rep. Mina Morita said last week that she will run for re-election in the 14th District, Kapa‘a-Hanalei, despite persistent rumors that the recently completed session would be her last.

“I’ll take it a session at a time,” she said. “I’m not running for Senate.”

Rep. Roland Sagum voiced similar sentiments.

“I have no interest in running for the Senate position, but I intend to run again for the state House 16th District,” Sagum, a Democrat who represents the Westside, said Tuesday. “The voters have confidence in me for this position, and I’m still learning the job. I think I need to just stay where I am and just do a good job here.”

According to paperwork on file with the state’s Campaign Finance Commission — which specified the “office sought” by Sagum to be 16th District representative — Sagum held a $100-per-person fundraiser for re-election on April 20.

Multiple attempts to reach Rep. Jimmy Tokioka, D-15th District, for comment were unsuccessful.

Lingle’s plan for the future remains unclear. Senior communications adviser Lenny Klompus said Tuesday that “the governor has been pretty consistent in her message about her priority now is being the governor.”

A search on the Campaign Finance Commission Web site showed no fundraising activities by Lingle within the state.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye is up for re-election in 2010 and is firmly entrenched in the position he has held for nearly five decades. Fellow Democratic Sen. Daniel Akaka’s term expires in 2012.

Kaua‘i County Council

If none of the representatives take a run at Hooser’s seat, or even if they do, members of the Kaua‘i County Council could try to make the same leap that Hooser did when he jumped from the county’s legislative body to the state’s upper house in 2002.

Of the six council members reached Tuesday, all said they were focused on their current positions and none expressed plans to run for either Hooser’s seat or a state House position.

“I think I still have many contributions I can make at the council level and I think that’s the only place I’m thinking about this early,” Council Vice Chair Jay Furfaro said. “I’m just focused on the things we need to get done at the council level. Our plate is pretty full. … When 2010 rolls around, I think some continuity at the council is going to be very important.”

Daryl Kaneshiro, the council’s Budget and Finance Committee chair, said, “We’ll see how things go. I haven’t made any decisions as of yet. If I’m going to run for anything, it would probably be for council. … I have no intentions of running for higher office … at this time, (but you) never know what’s going to happen.”

Tim Bynum, who earned re-election in November, said, “Right now I’m a member of the County Council and … I’m pretty invested and I have a lot I want to accomplish there. So as I stand here today, that’s my intention. I’m sitting at my desk working on council business not thinking much about what’s going on at the state Legislature. … Like all politicians, you keep your options open.”

The council’s three first-term members expressed optimism about their new jobs and none had plans to jump to the next level.

“I’m going to run (for council) again next year,” Dickie Chang said. “I’m really, really, really enjoying it. I think it’s a great way to help the community and a great way to learn. … I find it extremely interesting, extremely rewarding, and I love my work. … It’s an honor to serve.”

Derek Kawakami, who moved up from the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors to County Council, said, “I think it’s just best to stay focused on the task at hand, and right now, that’s our county issues.

“My campaign committee is geared up to run another election campaign,” Kawakami said. “We haven’t ruled out anything yet because we don’t know what kind of movement there’s going to be. … 2010 is far away right now, for us at least.”

Lani Kawahara said her first year has been a “stimulating education experience that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

“I have every intention of running for County Council again to represent Kaua‘i residents and I’ve learned from other politicians that you need to keep your options open,” she said.

A message left for Chair Bill “Kaipo” Asing at his council office Tuesday was not returned by press time.

Other challengers

Former Kaua‘i politicians also weighed in on the 2010 election.

“I haven’t made any decisions” about the 2010 election, said former Mayor and Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura. “I think I will run for some position. Public policy is at the heart of my passion, but I don’t know what office I will run for.”

Mel Rapozo, who served on the County Council alongside Yukimura before a failed bid for mayor last year, said in an interview last month that he was uninterested in becoming a full-time process server in the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and that he has different plans for the future.

“We’re gearing up for another run at the council,” Rapozo said at the time.

Former Councilman Ron Kouchi has yet to make plans.

“I’m not planning anything right now,” Kouchi said Tuesday. “At this time, I’m concerned about getting my son, who is graduating from high school next month, to college. … I’ve been really fortunate that his activities have kept me very busy and I’ve been very focused on that and haven’t had time to worry about missing things.”

Republican Joanne Georgi, who tried unsuccessfully to unseat Hooser in November, said she might make another run in 2010.

“I am considering running for the state Senate seat if Gary Hooser runs for lieutenant governor,” Georgi said. “We are going to have candidates for every single position. We are not going to allow the Democrats a free ride this year. I don’t care if I have to run my dog, we will run someone for all those positions.”

Georgi’s husband, Bill, chairman of the Kaua‘i Republican Party, said he intends to begin campaign “training” this fall and hopes to run a “full slate” of candidates for the seven County Council seats, three state House seats, one state Senate seat and Kaua‘i mayor.

First-term Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. is serving the last two years on the late Mayor Bryan Baptiste’s term and will be up for re-election in 2010. If re-elected, he would still be eligible to run again in 2014.

“I’m focusing now on the work that needs to be done and fulfilling the commitments made during the 2008 election,” Carvalho said in a written statement Tuesday. “Any announcement regarding my future plans will be made at a much later date.”

According to paperwork on file with the state Campaign Finance Commission — which specified the “office sought” by Carvalho was Kaua‘i mayor — Office of Boards and Commissions Administrator John Isobe organized a $200-per-person fundraiser for Carvalho’s re-election campaign on April 24 at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa.

The amount of money raised at the event was unknown at press time.

• Michael Levine, assistant news editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or via e-mail at mlevine@kauaipubco.com