HILO — Democratic Party officials from state House District 2 will see at least a few familiar faces when they meet Saturday to select three nominees to replace the late Rep. Clift Tsuji.
Dennis Onishi, whose term as District 3 councilman ends Dec. 5, and two former council members — J Yoshimoto and Stacy Higa — are among the seven party members who met the nomination deadline Monday.
Others are Jonathan Wong, Laura Acasio, Moana Kelii and Christopher Todd.
Wong unsuccessfully ran against Tsuji in the August primary, and Kelii lost the race to replace Onishi on the council in the Nov. 8 general election.
Phil Barnes, Hawaii County Democratic Party chairman, said the format will be similar to the interview process to find a replacement for late Sen. Gil Kahele, who died last January, but candidates might be given a few extra minutes to speak to precinct and district officials.
“I think we want to kick it up to six or seven” minutes, he said.
Interviews will take place starting at 9 a.m. in the Keaukaha Elementary School cafeteria. The meeting is open to the public.
Three names will be submitted to Gov. David Ige for consideration.
The district includes Keaukaha, most of downtown Hilo, and parts of Waiakea and Panaewa.
Ige has 60 days following the vacancy to make an appointment, according to state law. An appointment is expected to occur before the next legislative session begins Jan. 18.
The appointee will serve Tsuji’s full two-year term.
Tsuji, who was re-elected Nov. 8, died Nov. 15. He was 75.
Tsuji was first elected in 2004.
Onishi was first elected to the council in 2008 and unsuccessfully ran for Kahele’s former seat — Senate District 1 — in the Democratic primary.
Kahele’s son, Kai Kahele, was appointed to the seat in February and won the Nov. 8 general election.
Onishi’s brother, Richard Onishi, represents House District 3, which borders District 2.
J Yoshimoto, who is a deputy corporation counsel for the county, served on the council from 2006-2014.
Higa, a former two-term council member, unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2008, earning just 5.9 percent of the vote in the primary, after a former aide filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment.
A settlement cost the county almost $250,000.
Higa, 53, later sued the county, alleging it didn’t provide him an appropriate defense.
He said he is seeking compensation for attorney fees, and that case remains in the state Intermediate Court of Appeals.
The county, which filed a cross-appeal, denied any wrongdoing in the settlement agreement.
“It was a very unique situation,” Higa said of the scandal, when asked if he thinks it will affect his chances. “There’s nothing in my record. Since that time, I’ve managed a bunch of companies, and not one thing has interrupted my career.”
The council voted 9-0 in a March 2 executive session to continue using Honolulu attorney Calvin Young as outside counsel to handle the case. Previously, the council approved spending up to $100,000 to defend the county against Higa’s claims.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.