HONOLULU — Hawaii state Sen. David Ige feels slighted after learning that he won’t get to address delegates at the state Democratic convention in May.
Convention organizers have decided to give featured speaking slots to the party’s top eight elected officials. That list won’t include Ige, but it will include Gov. Neil Abercrombie.
Ige is challenging Abercrombie in the party primary to be the Democratic candidate for governor this year. Ige told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he’s disappointed to be omitted from the lineup.
Party chairman Dante Carpenter told the paper there are simply too many candidates to give them all five minutes to speak at the convention. Typically in the past, the party has allowed top candidates to address convention delegates.