Maui Democrats unopposed for two state Senate seats

Council Member Carroll gets free ride as deadline passes

The Maui News
Wednesday, July 24, 2002

By BRIAN PERRY
Staff Writer

WAILUKU — Before a single ballot has been cast, Democrats won two of three state Senate seats in Maui County as Republicans failed to field candidates before Tuesday’s candidate filing deadline came and went.

Democratic state Sen. J. Kalani English will not need to mount a campaign this year as he’s the only candidate to file for the newly configured 6th Senatorial District seat, which includes Upcountry, East Maui, Molokai and Lanai. He was one of eight state senators statewide to run unopposed.

In the 4th Senatorial District (Wailuku, Kahului, Spreckelsville-Paia), three Democrats are vying for the seat — incumbent Sen. Jan Yagi Buen, Thomas Cerizo and Shan Tsutsui. No Republicans tossed their hat in that race, either.

Republicans, however, were able to field two candidates for the 5th Senatorial District (West Maui, South Maui). They are Don Couch and Ben Azman. Neither has held elected office before. But, after their primary race on Sept. 21, the winner will need to square off against former state Sen. Roz Baker, the county’s economic development coordinator.

Maui County Republican Party Chairwoman Kay Ghean said she was disappointed Republicans were unable to find candidates for two races, but she said Republicans are fielding strong candidates for other contests.

She said Republicans had potential candidates lined up for the Senate races, but they apparently changed their minds and decided not to file as candidates.

Lynn Araki, Republican vice chairwoman for publicity, said the candidates who opted not to run were supporting other Republican candidates, backing GOP gubernatorial candidate Lingle Lingle and remaining involved in their community.

“They’re just so overwhelmed,” Araki said of those who decided not to run.

She said Republicans decided to focus more on state House races than on the Senate.

Maui County Democratic Party Chairman Jonathan Starr said he was “very proud” of local Democrats.

“We worked very hard, and we managed to put a viable candidate in every race on Maui,” he said.

Starr said it looks like Democrats will have a very good chance of holding on to majorities in both the House and Senate.

He had little sympathy for the inability of Republicans to post candidates.

“I see it as a sign that they don’t have that many people coming forward that want to represent their point of view,” he said. “Democrats are a lot more inclusive . . . We’re not looking to fit a certain profile. We represent everyone. That’s why candidates tend to come our way.”

In all but a couple of Maui state House races, incumbents — Democrats and Republicans alike — are running against opponents who are relatively unknown, at least politically.

The exceptions are in the 13th House race (East Maui, Molokai, Lanai) where incumbent Republican Ron Davis could see a rematch with former Democratic Rep. Sol P. Kaho‘ohalahala.

Davis beat Kaho‘ohalahala in the 2000 general election 3,114-2,594.

But Kaho‘ohalahala must get past a Democratic primary contest with Francis Segundo, who ran unsuccessfully for a state House seat in 2000.

Also, in the 9th House contest (Wailuku, Kahului, Spreckelsville-Paia), incumbent Democrat Bob Nakasone faces no primary opposition. But neither does former county Deputy Parks Director Allen Shishido, a Republican who ran an unsuccessful campaign for a state Senate seat in 2000.

For a while, it was uncertain if any candidates would file nomination papers for the newly configured 10th House seat (West Maui). But on the last day, Republicans Brian Blundell and Patty Nagasako-Peterson filed papers to become official candidates. Both have mounted unsuccessful bids for a House seat in the past. The primary winner will go on to face Democrat Jim Rouse, a deputy public defender launching his first political campaign.

In the 11th House race (South Maui), veteran incumbent Republican Chris Halford will be challenged by Democrat Gene Zarro, a leader of the new Kihei Public Charter High School.

The first nonpartisan race for Maui mayor became a four-way affair Tuesday with Rob Parsons filing nomination papers to become an official candidate.

He joins Mayor James “Kimo” Apana, who’s seeking a second and last four-year term; Council Member Alan Arakawa, who lost the mayor’s race to Apana in 1998; and Bill Riddick, who mounted an unsuccessful campaign for a council seat in 1996.

Apana said it was a “good thing” to have more people running for mayor because it would widen the debate with more ideas from candidates.

He said he’s proud of his record while in office, bringing Maui County its highest bond rating ever and working to modernize county government.

Arakawa was attending a conference on the Mainland and was unavailable for comment. Riddick also was not available for comment.

Parsons, who finished third in 2000 in the first special election for the council’s Makawao-Haiku-Paia seat, said he realizes he’s up against formidable opponents. But he wanted to give voters a choice and “excite people who feel left out of the system and don’t even participate.”

Parsons, the conservation chairman for the Sierra Club Maui Group and a member of the board of directors for Maui Tomorrow, acknowledged being a “tremendous underdog.”

“We know it’s a kind of a David and Goliath” situation, he said.

But Parsons said the rapid pace of development on Maui is eroding the island’s appeal and quality of life for visitors and residents alike.

“We have a tremendous amount to lose here unless we make some significant changes from the direction that we’re headed,” he said. “Maui’s being sold to the highest bidder, and we’re not taking care of the needs of the local people, in particular, with affordable housing . . . There are controversial issues that need to be brought up.”

The only incumbent Maui County Council member to escape a challenge this year was Council Member Robert Carroll, who holds the East Maui residency seat.

“I’m really, really happy,” he said. “I expected someone to run against me. I’m happy people are satisfied with the work I’m doing. If not, then one or more opponents would be running against me.”

In the West Maui contest, Council Member Jo Anne Johnson faces a challenge from James “Kimo” Falconer, chairman of the Maui County Cultural Resources Commission.

Falconer, who’s vice president and general manager of agricultural operations at Pioneer Mill, said he has considered a run for a council seat for nearly two years. He said he was encouraged to launch a campaign this year when a group of people — including some real estate developers, those in agri-business and union members — learned he was thinking about running for the first time for public office.

He said he finally decided to run because he believes he could put his experience in agriculture and with the cultural resources commission to good use on the council.

If elected, he would not resign or retire from Pioneer Mill, he said.

Falconer added he’d need to recuse himself from land-use matters or other issues that would present a conflict of interest.

Johnson, who’s seeking a second council term, could not be reached for comment.

In the Lanai council race, incumbent Council Member Riki Hokama will face former county budget director, Georgina Kawamura, again. In 2000, Hokama defeated Kawamura by a vote of 16,743-15,668.

In the Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu council contest, former Office of Hawaiian Affairs candidate Natalie “Tasha” Kama filed nomination papers Tuesday. She joins incumbent Council Member Dain Kane and Wailuku residents Sunny Gutierrez and Mark Smith.

In the Kahului council contest, which was left without an incumbent by the departure of Arakawa for the mayor’s race, there’s a field of four candidates: Herman Andaya, who filed Tuesday, and D. Mele Carroll, Nick Casumpang Jr. and Joseph Pontanilla.

In the South Maui council race, incumbent Council Member Wayne Nishiki faces two challengers: Zandra Souza-Amaral and G. Lehua “Mahi” Clubb, a telephone operator at the Maui Prince Hotel.

The last candidate to file for office on Maui, Clubb said she’s entering the contest, in part, to defeat Nishiki.

“He’s old furniture,” she said. “We either have to refurbish or we have to get somebody else in there to remodel.”

Also, in the Upcountry council contest, Council Member Charmaine Tavares will meet Bradish Johnson V, who filed Tuesday.

The Molokai council race had one last entrant on Tuesday when State Department of Labor official Beverly Pauole-Moore filed her nomination papers. Other Molokai candidates include Council Member Danny Mateo, Stacy Helm Crivello, Maria Hustace, George Kahinu and DeGray Vanderbilt.

The Makawao-Haiku-Paia council race will be a contest between incumbent Council Member Mike Molina and Paia resident Lance Holter, a Realtor who took a lead in protesting a small-lot subdivision planned in Paia town.

The primary election is Sept. 21, and the general election is Nov. 5.

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