HILO — The election is over before it even began for two Big Island state representatives and two County Council members who won their respective races as of the 4:30 p.m. Tuesday filing deadline.
In the races for the newly formed County Council districts, newcomer Dru Kanuha was ushered into office in the Kailua-Kona district without a challenge. Kanuha’s political experience is limited to his term on the 2011 county Redistricting Commission that drew the new boundaries, and two years as the Kona representative on the Hawaii Island Burial Council. He has never before held elective office.
Kanuha was incredulous when informed of his easy victory by West Hawaii Today, but it quickly turned to glee for the political neophyte. He vowed to continue his door-to-door canvassing as a way to take the pulse of the district he is about to represent. He said he’ll also continue to participate in forums and candidate events.
“I was excited when I pulled papers, I was excited when I filed, and I’m really excited now,” Kanuha said. “I look forward to working with the community and the other council members and even the mayor, to work together and respect each other.”
The district was formerly that of three-term South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford, but she was moved into a sprawling new South Kona/Ka‘u district, where she’s pitted against challengers Maile David and Bradley Westervelt.
Also unopposed was Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi, who also ran unopposed in 2010.
Incumbent Reps. Clift Tsuji, D-Hilo, and Cindy Evans, D-North Kona mauka, South and North Kohala, breezed back into office with no competition, even though Tsuji’s district was renumbered because of reapportionment, and lines for both districts changed significantly over previous years. It’s the first time either has run unopposed.
Evans, a five-term representative, said her newly configured district is “very small-town, rural Hawaii,” and she’s eager to represent it.
“It would be great to get a head start on the important issues for the district,” now that the campaign is over, Evans said.
Tsuji, a four-term representative, said he’ll continue to campaign, and he hopes everyone in his new, smaller district will come out and vote for him.
“I shall not abandon the communities that I have served,” Tsuji said. “This island is too important to just concentrate on your respective district.”
The island added a fourth state Senate seat, and the competition turned out in force to run for it, with four Democrats and one Republican filing papers by the 4:30 p.m. deadline Tuesday. State Rep. Bob Herkes, a Democrat whose old House district was chopped up by reapportionment, is running for the vacant Senate District 2 seat, as are fellow Democrats Wendell Kaehuaea, Russell Ruderman and Gary Safarik, and Republican Daryl Smith.
Senate District 2 is the only four-year Senate seat on the island, with Districts 1, 3 and 4 shortened to two years to create staggered terms for future elections.
In Senate District 1, term-limited County Councilman Donald Ikeda is challenging incumbent Sen. Gilbert Kahele in the Aug. 11 Democratic primary.
In Senate District 3, incumbent Sen. Josh Green, a Captain Cook Democrat, faces nonpartisan challenger Michael Last of Naalehu and Republicans John Totten and Jeff LaFrance of Kailua-Kona in the Nov. 6 general election.
The Senate District 4 race features current incumbent Sen. Malama Solomon and former Sen. Lorraine Inouye, both Democrats, and former County Councilman Kelly Greenwell, running under the Green Party.
U.S. Senate
- (N) Beasley, Heath H., Ewa Beach
- (R) Carroll, John S., Honolulu
- (D) Case, Edward E., Honolulu
- (R) Collins, Charles A., Pahoa
- (D) Gillespie, Michael Dane, Honolulu
- (D) Gimbernat, Antonio, Kihei
- (D) Hirono, Mazie K., Honolulu
- (R) Lingle, Linda, Honolulu
- (R) Pirkowski, Eddie, Honolulu
- (D) Reyes, Arturo Pacheco, Waipahu
- (R) Roco, John P., Waianae
U.S. House District 2
- (R) Crowley, David P., Hilo
- (D) Del Castillo, Rafael G., Honolulu
- (R) Digeronimo, Matthew J., Honolulu
- (D) Gabbard, Tulsi, Kapolei
- (D) Hannemann, Muliufi F., Aiea
- (D) Kiaaina, Esther P, Kapolei
- (D) Marx, Robert P., Hilo
- (D) Shiratori, Miles, F., Kaneohe
State Senate District 1
- (D) Ikeda, Donald A., Hilo
- (D) Kahele, Gilbert, Hilo
State Senate District 2
- (D) Herkes, Robert N., Volcano
- (D) Kaehuaea, Wendell J., Hilo
- (D) Ruderman, Russell E., Keaau
- (D) Safarik, Gary S., Hilo
- (R) Smith, Daryl L., Hawaii National Park
State Senate District 3
- (D) Green, Josh, Captain Cook
- (R) LaFrance, Michael L., Kailua-Kona
- (N) Last, Michael L, Naalehu
- (R) Totten, John P., Kailua-Kona
State Senate District 4
- (G) Greenwell, Kelly, Kailua-Kona
- (D) Inouye, Lorraine R., Hilo
- (D) Solomon, Malama, Waimea
State House District 1
- (D) Nakashima, Mark M., Honokaa
- (D) Pajimola, Noralyn B., Pepeekeo
State House District 2
- (D) Tsuji, Clifton K., Hilo
State House District 3
- (L) Fogel, Frederick F., Volcano
- (R) Hapai, Marlene M., Kurtistown
- (D) Onishi, Richard H. K., Hilo
- (D) Smart, Brittany L., Naalehu
State House District 4
- (N) Cermelj, Hope L., Pahoa
- (D) Hanohano, Faye P., Pahoa
- (N) Stephens, Moke, Keaau
State House District 5
- (R) Bateman, David A., Holualoa
- (D) Coffman, George D., Kailua-Kona
- (D) Oyama, Leolani L., Naalehu
State House District 6
- (D) Akaka, Kaleihikina A., Kailua-Kona
- (R) Breslin, John M., Kailua-Kona
- (R) Ebert, Roy, Kailua-Kona
- (D) Housel, Fred G., Kailua-Kona
- (D) Leslie, Bucky, Holualoa
- (D) Lowen, Nicole E., Kailua-Kona
State House District 7
Mayor
- Christie, Share, Pahoa
- Cunningham, Daniel H., Hilo
- Kenoi, Billy, Hilo
- Kim, Harry, Hilo
- Walls, Rand, Hilo
- Yagong, Dominic, Hilo
Prosecuting Attorney
- Ashida, Lincoln S. T., Hilo
- Dolan, Paul, Ocean View
- Roth, Mitchell David, Hilo
Council District 1
- D’Almeida, Eric P., Hilo
- Gering, Larry M., Hilo
- Kim, Jo, Paauilo
- Poindexter, Valerie T., Ookala
- Yagong, Chelsea N., Honokaa
Council District 2
- Goodenow, Kenneth G., Hilo
- Thompson, Rachel L., Hilo
- Wilhelm, Steve Keanahou, Hilo
- Yoshimoto, J. Stanley, Hilo
Council District 3
- Onishi, Dennis M., Hilo
- Council District 4
- Blas, Frederick F., Pahoa
- Ilagan, Greggor Johanson, Keaau
- Weatherford, James W., Keeau
Council District 5
- Araujo, Steven J., Kurtistown
- Ceredon, Liscencio N., Hilo
- Kern, Zendo, Keaau
Council District 6
- David, Maile P., Captain Cook
- Ford, Brenda J., Captain Cook
- McIntosh, Lee, Naalehu
- Westervelt, Bradley D., Pahala
Council District 7
- Kanuha, Dru Mamo, Kailua-Kona
Council District 8
- Eoff, Karen S., Kailua-Kona
- Guccione, Charles G., Kailua-Kona
Council District 9
- Green, Robert A., Waikoloa
- Sanborn, J. William, Waimea
- Shimaoka, Oliver C., Waimea
- Wille, Margaret D., Waimea
