HONOLULU — Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho announced his candidacy for 2018 lieutenant governor of Hawaii in front of the State Capitol on Wednesday. “Working with the governor as a team, I believe we can build bridges and connect people,” Carvalho
HONOLULU — Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho announced his candidacy for 2018 lieutenant governor of Hawaii in front of the State Capitol on Wednesday.
“Working with the governor as a team, I believe we can build bridges and connect people,” Carvalho said in front of family, friends and media.
He continued: “Today, I am announcing my candidacy as a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor after a lot of listening, soul searching and spiritual guidance. We are a state that is separated by the ocean, but it’s our responsibility to stand together with dignity. We will be that bridge.”
Carvalho has been Kauai’s mayor for a decade, the longest term in the island’s history, and he’s termed out. Through that time, he said he’s been listening to the community.
“I’ve heard a consistent message. I’ve heard that we have no voice, that there is no bridge (between government and the people),” Carvalho said. “We need to engage our families first, and then our community.”
As lieutenant governor, Carvalho would be working hand in hand with the governor and legislators, and would be the acting governor when the governor is absent from the state.
In Hawaii, the lieutenant governor is also designated as the secretary of state. The current lieutenant governor, Shan Tsutsui, announced Monday he will not be seeking reelection.
Also running for the position are Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, Sen. Will Espero, D-District 19, Sen. Joshua Green, D-District 3, and Sen. Jill Tokuda, D-District 24.
Carvalho told TGI on Wednesday he wasn’t ready to discuss specific legislation he hoped to work on.
Instead, he concentrated on his main message — connecting the people of Hawaii through action with aloha.
“Overall I will work closely and bring people together as a team,” Carvalho said. “That’s done by asking the right questions.”
He continued: “People are frustrated that things aren’t moving fast enough. I’ll be that bridge.”
Many thought Carvalho would run for governor.
“There are many opportunities I looked at and discussed with my family, which included the chance to run for lieutenant governor of Hawaii,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that whatever decision I made was the right decision for my family and for the people of Kauai, who I will continue to honorably serve until the end of my term.”
Employed by the County of Kauai since 1985, Carvalho was appointed by Mayor Bryan Baptiste in 2002 as the director of the Offices of Community Assistance, which included the Transportation, Recreation, Elderly Affairs and Housing divisions. In 2007, he was tapped by Mayor Baptiste to set up and lead the new Department of Parks and Recreation as director.
He took over as mayor in 2008 to fulfill a partial two-year term when Baptiste died while in office. He was re-elected in 2010 and 2014.
A Kauai native, Carvalho graduated from Kapaa High School in 1979 and earned a full-ride scholarship to play football at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
He graduated from UH in 1983 with a degree in communications and public relations and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, where he played for two seasons before returning to the islands and marrying his wife Regina.
They have three children and two grandchildren.
Carvalho chose to announce his lieutenant governor candidacy on Oahu, but he left a message for the people of Kauai as well.
“We’ll continue taking care of things on Kauai as we move forward and we’re excited to announce our candidacy for lieutenant governor,” he said.
Kauai council members Derek Kawakami and Mel Rapozo have announced they are running for the mayor’s office.
