Honolulu City Council Race Odds, November 2005

At the City Council Races

With UH floundering this fall, early odds are coming out for next year’s political campaign. The races for governor and senator look like a complete bore, but the Honolulu City Council races as usual, have an interesting flavor. With no challengers declares yet, here is an early handicapping of the four councilmen up in 2006:

GARY OKINO (Dist. IX, Pearl City, Aiea)
Chinatown line: 20 to 1 in favor of re-election
Probability of Re-election: A
Okino is a solid, if unspectacual councilmember. More important, however, he is a solid Democrat from a solid Democrat district, he has a solid, if unspectacular campaign war chest, and he hasn’t made any major screw ups in his six years on the council. It is highly unlikely for a Republican to beat Okino in this district and he hasn’t made any enemies in the Democratic Party for an intra-party challenger to surface. Okino is a nice, older, Japanese guy, and unless he beats his wife, guys like that simply don’t lose in Hawaii – ask Dan Inouye. Four years ago, he escaped with no opposition, and it looks like he may get another free pass for re‑election in ’06.

CHARLES DJOU (Dist. IV, Waikiki, Hawaii Kai)
Chinatown line: 12 to 1 in favor of re-election
Probability of Re-election: A-
Djou clearly is the most telegenic councilmember. He might have zero power, but he’s smart, articulate, and the public (or at least the media) likes him. He has the second biggest war chest of any Republican in Hawaii, albeit, he is a light-year behind number one, Linda Lingle. Djou’s conservative fiscal view fit his rich, upper-class East Honolulu district well. Djou is also tenacious and hard campaigner, only Brian Schatz can come close to Djou’s reputation for knocking on doors and marathon sign waving. He would be a shoo-in for re-election, but for the fact that he is a Republican. Democrats may run someone against him not to actually try to win, but just to rough him up a bit to slow down his rising star.

DONOVAN DELA CRUZ (Dist. II, Wahiawa, N. Shore, Windward Oahu)
Chinatown line: 10 to 1 in favor of re-election
Probability of Re-election: A-/B+
Dela Cruz is the youngest council chair in Honolulu history, but this probably says more about his loyalty to Ann Kobayashi than any prowess on his part. Nevertheless, Dela Cruz loves to be under estimated, ask Nestor Garcia after his abortive coup attempt. Dela Cruz has a decent war chest, $55k, for this stage of the game. More importantly, Dela Cruz’s district is like Russia – it is vast and any invader on to Dela Cruz’s turf will face immense hurdles. The only vulnerability Dela Cruz has may be from the Windward portion of his district which can have a strong, “Don’t-tread-on-me/Leave the Country Country” streak. They could punish Dela Cruz for promising not to raise taxes and then seeing him promptly vote for every tax increase proposed by Kobayashi. Right now though, that seems unlikely and Dela Cruz looks good for re-election.

ROD TAM (Dist. VI, Liliha, Nuuanu, Downtown)
Chinatown line: 1.5 to 1 in favor of re-election
Probability of Re-election: C+
Everyone knows Tam is the city council’s village idiot – thirty seconds listening to him speak on Olelo will easily confirm this impression. Yet even though every election the odds makers in Chinatown predict that Tam is going down, every election he beats the odds. Will ’06 finally be his last hurrah? Over his one council term, Tam got slammed with two separate ethics citations by the state and city ethics commissions; he proposed the crazy idea of placing the City dump in Koko Crater – something his pal Mufi Hannemann attributed as a dumb “Koko Crater mentality”; he got criticized for shopping building permits; and he got burned for his handling of the Hawaii memorial park Pagoda. This on top of lingering memories of Tam’s stupid idea of “naps-and-snacks” for government workers he proposed as a legislator. Yet Tam keeps on winning with a constituent service centered formula. Maybe this time his district will be embarrased by Tam’s lack of brainpower, but only just maybe.


Odds will likely change as challengers, if any, emerge, but aside from Tam, the odds look good for re-election for all the Councilmembers up this fall.

Sincerely,

Publius

Abercrombie Should Reconsider Governor, May 2006

Open Letter to Hawaii Democrats and Congressman Neil Abercrombie

OK, at the start of 2006, things were looking boring and bleak for us Democrats. But then Ed Case turned the whole political scene upside down. At a recent late-session meeting of several House Democrats (and at pretty much every Democrat fundraiser I’ve been to over the last several months), the buzz was all about who is backing Case, who is backing Akaka, and who’s going to declare for the US House before the filing deadline. But the big thing has been the buzz. This buzz is good for the party. It’s nerve wracking. It’s scary. But it’s also getting Democrats really excited.

The problem is that we don’t have good buzz about the governor’s race. The excitement about the US Senate race and the 2nd Congressional race is universal. But it is matched with a deafening silence amongst Democrats about the governor’s race. There should be, but there is no spill over. Yes, I know Brickwood has to smile and say Iwase has a chance. But let’s be honest with ourselves, in private no one – and I mean no one - is saying Randy has a prayer. Yes I know four years ago, people were saying Ed Case had almost no chance, but at least we were qualifying it with “almost.” This time, however, I don’t think Chinatown has even given Iwase a line. Absolutely no one is betting on him. You know things are bad when Hotel Street is giving Bev Harbin better odds than Iwase.

If you want to see the Democratic Party Chair get defensive, just ask him, “Who’s running for Lieutenant Governor?” (If you want to see Brickwood get real defensive, ask him, “Who do you support in Rhode Island’s elections?”) The conventional wisdom and talk of Chinatown betting line is that Lingle has a very weak running mate. No one thinks Duke Aiona has what it takes to win on his own, let alone lead Hawaii in 2010. But it is a sorry statement about how weak our party’s prospects are for Washington Place that no one is willing to take on Duke Aiona. The LG may be weak, but Publis is pretty sure he can beat a non-existent candidate.

This is the thing, with the Akaka-Case match up and the buzz in the 2nd Congressional, I now do think we have a chance against Linda Lingle. Last fall, when Neil Abercrombie was pondering challenging Lingle, it was a long shot. Neil did a poll, looked at the numbers - which were really bad - and decided to pass. Today, however, things are different. The excitement amongst Democrats is contagious. What was a long shot in October is still not a good shot today, but it is now a decent shot because of this buzz floating in the air.

But the problem for us Democrats is that we need someone “big” to take advantage of all of this energy. We need a first tier candidate to properly channel all of this excitement felt by Democrats into a good governor’s campaign. Other than Mufi Hannemann, the only one who could pull this off and properly tap into this buzz is our favorite Buffalo Bruiser and Manoa Maniac – Neil Abercrombie.

Folks, I’m talkin’ about a real potential for some real synergy here – yes I’m talkin’ about making 2 + 2 equal 5 without a Jeremy Harris budget analyst. But it only works if the whole team pulls together with the right equipment. I love Randy Iwase (I think I even voted for him when he ran for Mayor way back when), but he’s not the guy to do it. Neil Abercrombie is.

Neil Abercrombie deserves to give this governor’s race a second look. Abercrombie turns 68 next month, and if he waits his turn, he will never get a turn at state-wide office. The congressman himself made the case for needing seniority in Congress to get things done when he bowed out of the governor’s race on Halloween. He can’t wait much longer to take a crack at becoming a US Senator, and then build the seniority he says is needed in Washington when Abercrombie himself is now pushing 70. Things were different when Ed Case wasn’t trying to jump in line. But Ed has completely changed the political dynamics. In 2010 Lingle will be term limited - but it will be Mufi’s turn for Washington Place, not Neil’s. It’s 2006 or never Neil.

For all of the aspiring Democrats for the 1st Congressional District, keep in mind that if Neil doesn’t run for Governor this year and stays in the House, you may never get to run for Congress. If Neil says in DC as long as Akaka or Inouye plan on staying in DC – that is until age 86 - that’s another 18 years. Do the math, there might not be a vacancy in the 1st district until sometime in the year 2024. Put that in perspective, in 2024, baby-faces like Donovan Dela Cruz and Kimo Apana will be older than Linda Lingle is today. Looked from another angle some of our party faithful who have been waiting patiently for an open seat like, Donna Kim or Duke Bainum, will be in their late-60s or early-70s, well too late to START a congressional career.

Just think, 100 days ago, there was no primary for the US Senate, Abercrombie and Case were coasting to re-election and more than just a couple of central committee members were seriously thinking of offering up Brian Schatz as our sacrificial offering against Linda. Look at how the political world has change in Hawaii in the last 100 days. It can still change even more. Remember that George Clooney move “The Perfect Storm”? It was about multiple hurricanes colliding; together they create a storm that’s even bigger than what each individual hurricane would generate on its own. Case created a hurricane by jumping into the US Senate race. If Neil jumps into the governor’s race, we can create that perfect storm for the Democratic Party and bring back the glory days of life without Linda Lingle.

Neil, I know you hate the fact that Ed Case has changed the dynamics of the ’06 election, but that’s life. You know this commentary makes sense, please give it some thought. To all of the Democrats getting this email, please consider talking to the congressman about it.

How about it Neil? Please reconsider.

Pau,

Hawaii Publis

Who to Talk to in Hawaii Politics, March 2006

There are 76 state legislators and another 9 Honolulu City Councilmembers, plus a governor and mayor, making a dizzy array of politicians you might need to talk to if you want to get something done in local politics. With First Crossover coming at the Legislature and the budget coming down at the City Council, who do you talk to? Publis has been watching Hawaii’s politicians and gives the layperson the simple skinny on who you need to talk to in our local government.

If you want to hear something mean and nasty said about Linda Lingle,
Talk to REP. MARCUS OSHIRO.

If you want to hear something nice said about Linda Lingle,
Talk to REP. LYNN FINNEGANN.

If you want to hear a Republican say something mean about Linda Lingle,
Talk to SEN. PAUL WHALEN.

If you want to hear a Democrat say something nice about Linda Lingle,
Talk to REP. JOSH GREEN.

If you just want to generally hear something mean and nasty,
Talk to SEN. CLAYTON HEE.

If you just want to generally hear something nice,
Talk to US SEN. DANIEL AKAKA

If you want to hear a concise and reasoned statement on a complex issue,
Talk to SEN. COLLEEN HANABUSA

If you want to hear a rambling and unintelligible statement on a simple issue,
Talk to COUNCILMAN ROD TAM.

If you want to rally public opinion to your side,
Talk to COUNCILMAN CHARLES DJOU.

If you want to rally public opinion against your side,
Talk to REP. BEV HARBIN.

If you want to know what if feels like to plot a coup,
Talk to SEN. DONNA KIM,

If you want to know what if feels like to have a coup plot fail,
Talk to REP. BRIAN SCHATZ

If you want to know what it takes to crush a coup,
Talk to COUNCILMAN DONOVAN DELA CRUZ.

If you want money from the Feds,
Talk to US SEN. DANIEL INOUYE.

If you want money from the State,
Talk to REP. DWIGHT TAKAMINE.

If you want money from the City,
Talk to COUNCILWOMAN ANN KOBAYASHI.

If you want to get under the governor’s skin,
Just say “All Hype, No Action.”

If you want to get under the mayor’s skin,
Just say “Bully.”

If you want to know what Hawaii conservatives are reading,
Visit hawaiireporter.com

If you want to know what Hawaii liberals are reading,
Pick up Honolulu Weekly.

If you want to see Hawaii elected officials react quickly,
Yell, “Open congressional seat!”

Pau,

Hawaii Publis

Schatz for Governor, December 2005

Open Letter to Hawaii Democrats and Rep. Brian Schatz

Re: Schatz For Governor

The general election is only 11 months away and we Hawaii Democrats still don’t have anyone willing to run for governor. Ed Case, Neil Abercrombie, Walter Dodds, even “second string” Eric Gill all won’t do it – they all say Lingle is unbeatable. The painful reality is that short of a complete meltdown, everyone who follows politics knows Linda Lingle is going to be re-elected.

So who should the Democrats nominate? If Harry Kim can get control over his Hamlet imitation, he would be a decent sacrificial lamb. I respectfully submit that a better choice would be State Rep. Brian Schatz. Harry is too valuable as Big Island mayor.

Schatz has already been making the rounds and talking to pretty much every major Democrat in town, including myself, about his desire to run state-wide for Lt. Gov. next year. Oddly, Schatz has been asking for commitments from me and other Dem. “big wigs” to support him for LG, but he himself won’t explicitly commit to running for LG. Aside from the unprofessional fashion how Schatz has handled himself, at least he is willing to put his name out there. If Schatz is willing to go out in a burst of flames running for LG, he might as well make it a suicidal burst of glory in a governor’s race.

Schatz will makes a half-way decent candidate to help us Democrats take one for the team because he is an energetic worker and a loss will probably do him good over the long term.

Hard work is what got Schatz into the legislature when he defeated an incumbent Republican for the State House. Hands down, there are only a handful of legislators and one (maybe two) City Councilmembers who work as hard as Schatz at campaigns. This will serve the Democrats well next year. Schatz won’t be lazy, he will work at fighting Lingle. He will still lose, but at least he can put up a good fight for us.

What Schatz really needs is a healthy dose of humility (see the paragraph above about how he is asking for support). If energy is Schatz’s greatest strength, then raw arrogance is his greatest flaw. If you can’t stand the “snobby, know-it-all, rich kid, from Punahou” (SKITARP) types, then you’ll absolutely hate Brian Schatz who is the SKITARP poster child. Schatz’ whole campaign team is basically a bunch of SKITARP types and next time you see someone with a Schatz bumper sticker on their car, look for a SKITARP or the parent of a SKITARP behind the steering wheel. Schatz may have tremendous energy, but his arrogance too often gets the better of him. His power in the State House fluctuates between irrelevant and insignificant. Schatz can talk a good talk and reporters (at least those from the Honolulu Advertiser) are in love with him, but he has no clout in the Legislature having failed in multiple coup attempts to oust other Democrats within the Majority Caucus. If Schatz loses, it will not only boost his name recognition for a future race for Congress against Donna Kim or Mufi Hannemann, but it may finally teach him a lesson about the need to be humble. Schatz also has nothing to lose, he already has no real power within the legislature.

So, let’s face it, the Democrats are going to lose the Governorship next year. The better strategy is to focus on the legislature and preserve the super majorities in both chambers so we Democrats can ignore, and over-ride if necessary, Linda Lingle. For a decent sacrificial lamb, however, Brian Schatz is the best choice. In 1974, a left-wing UH professor had the audacity to run and try to oust Sen. Dan Inouye from office. That professor lost big time, but that started his path to becoming our own Congressman Neil Abercrombie. Schatz can do the same with a suicide run against Lingle. You read it here first, Schatz for Governor. We could do worse.

Why Akaka Should Retire, October 2005

Open Letter to Hawaii Voters and Hawaii Democrats:

Senator Dan Akaka should retire next year. I do not make this statement lightly. Sen. Akaka is one of Hawaii’s most respected politicians and I have proudly cast my vote, contributed money and donated my time to help elect Akaka over the past three decades. Next year, however, Sen. Akaka will not only be 82 years old, but his retirement makes sense for the long-term future of both Hawaii and Hawaii Democratic Party.

THE SENIORITY FACTOR

When he turns 82 six weeks before election day, Sen. Akaka’s age will raise questions, but age alone should not disqualify him from seeking another six-year term in office. Heck, Strom Thurmond served South Carolina until he was 99. But Hawaii should consider if it really wants to be the only state in the entire nation sending two octogenarians to fill both of its U.S. Senate slots.

Sen. Dan Inouye, who like Sen. Akaka, turned 81 this fall is a venerable institution in our Aloha State. Indeed, some may joke, but it is practically true that the office of Hawaii’s senior senator is the largest single income producer for Hawaii after the tourism industry. It makes sense for Hawaii to keep Sen. Inouye in office as long as possible so he can continue to bring home the bacon to our islands.

But seniority is a bitch. It literally takes years, no decades, to build up seniority in Congress. While it makes sense to keep Inouye in the U.S. Senate as long as possible, does it makes sense for Hawaii to keep two U.S. Senators over the age of 80 in office? I proffer that the superior strategic decision for Hawaii would be to keep Inouye in office, but put in a young new freshman senator next year to start building seniority for Hawaii. It is a morbid, but inevitable reality that Inouye is human and will not live forever. We need someone in 2006 to start building that Holy Grail of seniority for our small state like Hawaii.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love Sen. Akaka. He is a man of tremendous character and exudes the spirit of aloha. That’s why I have consistently voted, contributed and campaigned for him. But in all honestly, unlike Sen. Inouye, Sen. Akaka is simply not widely regarded as one of the U.S. Senate’s “heavy weights.” Sen. Akaka has never acquired a reputation of some of the other 80+ senators like West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, the Senate’s foremost parliamentarian, or Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, the one other senator who can rival Sen. Inouye in pork. Sen. Akaka has had a fantastic run in Hawaii politics, but maybe its time for him to make way for a new generation of leadership.

The point here is that it makes strategic sense for Hawaii to have a new freshman senator to compliment Sen. Inouye in 2006 and start building seniority now.

DEMOCRATS WILL HOLD IN 2006

If Sen. Akaka retires next year, the Democrats will hold on to his seat. No Tom DeLay or Jesse Helms is going to suddenly get elected from Hawaii just because Akaka retires. The Democrats in Hawaii just have so many capable candidates who have the experience and are ready to succeed Akaka. Congressmen Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case are Hawaii’s most obvious choices. Abercrombie has built a solid and well-deserved pro-union reputation and fits in well with the Democratic Party establishment. He has been waiting patiently over 8 terms in the U.S. House for his turn in the Senate. Although Abercrombie is ideologically similar to Akaka, his scrappy attitude may work better in fighting the Republican majority in D.C. Case lacks the congressional record of Abercrombie, but he is hot right now coming off of a strong showing in the governor’s race and a landslide re-election victory. Case also comes with telegenic good looks, he has the perfect AJA spouse and his Hilo roots that makes a good winning combination. Rep. Case seems to me to strike the just right pro-environment, pro-choice, but fiscally conservative tone with Hawaii’s voters.

But Abercrombie and Case aren’t the only ones who can pick up the Akaka mantle for Hawaii Democrats. John Waihee and Mufi Hanneman are longer shots than Abercrombie or Case, but they can make a legitimate case that they should succeed Akaka. Having won three statewide elections as Lt. Governor and Governor, Waihee is one of only a few Democrats on the horizon to have won statewide office who wants to be a senator. He made need a little PR polish to overcome some lingering reputation that he was a wasteful big-spender, but that’s something a good commercial campaign can easily overcome. Hanneman is the tallest elected official in Hawaii. His height is outmatched only by a solid Iolani/Harvard resume and an outsized ambition. Hanneman has only been mayor of Honolulu for under a year, but he has thus far gotten off to a good start and he certainly has the drive to become a senator. The new mayor also has the most extensive campaign organization around of any Democrat to run for statewide office. (Indeed, but for Lingle, Hanneman has the best political operation in Hawaii.) Hanneman has the talent, ambition and political team to take him to the U.S. Senate now.

Should Abercrombie and Case make a senate bid, the Democrats have a plethora of excellent candidates to fill their spots. I see there are two sets of “triplets” that could become Congressmen. There’s the “Formers Triplets”: former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, former State Senator Matt Matsunaga and former Honolulu Councilmember Duke Bainum who all have run for higher office (and lost) and all could mount serious campaigns for Congress. Similarly, the Democrats are blessed with a number of capable state senators, Donna Kim, Colleen Hanabusa and Ron Menor who each could make a good statement that they should be sent to Washington. Hawaii Democrats even have very distant long shots like former news reporters Councilmember Nestor Garcia and State Rep. Glenn Wakai who have some degree of name recognition. Each of these individuals have very different personalities and traits, but each can make a good case for being a U.S. Representative.

We also shouldn’t forget about the outsiders that could make a bid for high office from Hawaii. Everyone loves the idea of Gen. Eric Shinseki and I think he would make an excellent senator or congressman, but for the fact that he lives mostly in Virginia. Former First Hawaii CEO Walter Dods would similarly make a great congressional representative, but I just think it would actually be a step down for Hawaii Business Magazine’s most influential person to become a senator.

The Republicans are also in a world of hurt and in no position to do anything in 2006. The national GOP is paralyzed by the problems with Tom Delay and Scooter Libby. The Hawaii GOP has Dalton Tanaonaka, Brian Blundell and Galen Fox. Count on the Republicans, however, getting their act together by 2008. The Delay-Tanonaka-Fox fun for Democrats will not last forever.

The point is that in 2006 Hawaii Democrats are ready to move and have a great crop of good candidates to move up to the Senate and House in Washington D.C. Politics is fickle, however, who knows what this will look like several years down the road. Democrats know what we have now, I say make the move now.

THE REPUBLICANS HAVE NO ONE

What about the Hawaii GOP? All you can say about Hawaii’s Republicans is that they have one superstar – Gov. Linda Lingle, and one rising star – Honolulu City Councilmember Charles Djou. That’s it. Once more, the GOP is reeling from body blows both nationally and locally ranging from the Delay and Libby criminal charges to the Tanonaka, Blundell and Fox criminal cases.

If she actually ran for the U.S. Senate, Lingle would be a formidable candidate. Say what you will about her administration (all sizzle and no steak), but Linda Lingle has shown that she is a tough campaigner, a proven fundraiser and like it or not, the people of Hawaii like her. Ten years ago, I would have said you would be crazy to think that Hawaii would ever elect a Missouri born, haole, Jewish, divorced, woman from a used car salesman family as governor. It is a testament to Linda Lingle’s talents as a candidate that she had gotten so far in Hawaii politics.

The thing is, Lingle won’t run for the U.S. Senate in 2006. Lingle has amassed a war chest of over $2 mil. for her re-election bid, she would have to give up that war chest and start from zero if she now switched to run for the U.S. Senate. She is also looking really good for re-election given that the Democrats can’t seem to find anyone to run against her. As a voter I laugh and as I Democrat I cry over the fact that Democratic Party Chair Brickwood Galuteria had to fly to the Big Island to try to talk to Republican Mayor Harry Kim to run against Lingle. Abercrombie made a huge statement that Lingle is simply unbeatable with his decision not to challenge her. It’s a big statement at how strong Lingle looks for re-election given that all of those hot Democrats for the senate and congress aren’t running against her next year. Even if there is an open seat for the senate, why would Lingle switch from a near sure thing at re-election as governor to go for a gamble at the senate against Abercrombie or Case or Hanneman? There is simply no reason for Lingle to run for anything but governor in 2006.

Similarly, Charles Djou is an up and coming star for Hawaii’s beleaguered Republicans, but he may not be ready in 2006. Djou has a unique combination of traits that together may someday make him a superstar for the Hawaii GOP. He is a bright, articulate and good-looking local kid. But there are plenty of Democrats who have that – Donna Kim and Matt Matsunaga come to mind. Djou also comes with a gold-plated Punahou/Ivy League resume. The Democrats have a bunch of candidates like Hanneman whose resumes are at least as impressive. As an Army Reserve officer, other than Gen. Shineki, Djou is the only upcoming potential candidate who has worn a military uniform – something that may be increasingly respected as thousands of local Hawaii troops start returning from Iraq. Finally, Djou is married, never divorced, and has an attractive young family. Other than Ron Menor, none of the other Democrats have that trait. (This says more about the brutal nature of modern politics than Djou or Menor, but that’s another story). But Djou is the only candidate to have unique combination of all of these traits and that could make Djou the Hawaii Republicans’ future top vote getter. But Djou’s Achilles’ heel is that he lacks experience. Djou is like a new first round draft choice in pro-sports. He shows tremendous promise, but with only one term in the legislature and one in the City Council, Djou is largely untested in the major leagues. Who knows if Djou is ready for the big time in 2006?

Outside of Lingle and Djou the Republicans have no one worth mentioning. Lingle’s running mate still needs way too much seasoning. Maybe he can grow into the job, but he is definitely not ready for prime time in 2006. Aside from Lingle and Djou, the Republicans do not have any candidates of the same caliber as Bainum or Kim or Matsunaga, let alone an Abercrombie or Case or Hanneman. All of the rest of the GOP field is basically a bunch of conservative haoles from the Mainland who play well in Windward Oahu, Hawaii Kai, and Texas.

The point here is that in 2006 the Republicans simply aren’t ready for any big moves. Lingle is too busy running for governor and Djou is still just a rookie. On the other hand, give it a few more years with another Akaka term and a far different picture emerges. In a few years a term limited Lingle will start looking for another big office to run for and Djou may well have gotten that experience he needs to live up to his promise of becoming a star player in Hawaii politics.

2006 IS THE YEAR FOR HAWAII AND HAWAII DEMOCRATS TO MAKE A MOVE

The bottom line is that it makes little sense for Hawaii to have two senators over 80 representing us. If we wait, then Hawaii could face the prospect of two very junior senators representing our small state in the very near future. No more federal appropriation gravy train for Hawaii.

Next year, it makes sense for Hawaii Democrats to install a Sen. Abercrombie or Sen. Case or Sen. Hanneman – all of whom are fully capable and eagerly waiting to step up to the job. In 2006 Hawaii Democrats are ready to put in a Congressman Bainum or Congresswoman Kim to replace Abercrombie and a Congressman Matsunaga or Congressman Menor to replace Case. If Hawaii Democrats do what we always do and ask everyone to just wait their turn, in a few years Democrats could instead be staring at a U.S. Senator Linda Lingle and a Congressman Charles Djou.

Dan Akaka has served Hawaii well. He deserves to be commended for all of his work for our state. But 2006 is the year for Hawaii to elect a new U.S. Senator and usher in a new slate of leaders. For the good of Hawaii, for the good of the Democratic Party, I humbly ask Senator Akaka to consider retiring next year.

Sincerely,

Publius