Primary contests set up Nov. 7 legislative races

The Maui News
Monday, September 25, 2006

By CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS, Staff Writer

KAHULUI – Democratic state Sen. Shan Tsutsui coasted to a second win Saturday over challenger and former state Sen. Jan Yagi Buen.

Because no Republicans or candidates from other parties chose to seek the Central Maui 4th Senate District seat, the Democratic Party primary decided that Tsutsui would be assured a second four-year term. Four years earlier, Tsutsui upset incumbent Buen to win the seat.

In other Maui County state legislative races, Democrat Angus McKelvey will likely face Republican Ben Azman during the Nov. 7 general election for the West Maui-North Kihei 10th House seat. And, Republican Tony Fisher will meet Democrat Joe Bertram III for the South Maui 11th House seat. Candidates in the 10th and 11th House races advanced from primary contests held Saturday.

Democratic and Republican candidates in four other Maui County House races had no primary opposition and advanced directly to the November election.

Planning to return to his state office in Honolulu today, Tsutsui said his top priorities would be to address issues brought to his attention by constituents during the campaign. Those include lobbying for construction money for a third elementary school in Wailuku.

Tsutsui said he will consult with other members of the Maui delegation in the Senate – Sens. Roz Baker and J. Kalani English, neither of whom was up for election this year, to discuss leadership positions in the 2007-2008 state Legislature.

Tsutsui said he would like to take on more leadership responsibilities at the Legislature.

"Obviously we want to put ourselves in the best position for Maui," he said.

On Sunday morning, Buen expressed satisfaction with her campaign and congratulated Tsutsui.

"He did come out the winner, and I do wish him the best," she said. "We worked hard. It was very upbeat and the support, everything was positive. . . We just didn't win."

Buen said she needed to talk to her family and supporters before she made any decision about whether to seek office again.

In the South Maui 11th House race, Bertram, the Democratic nominee, said he thought his years of community service both as an open space and an alternative transportation advocate and as a leader in the Kihei Community Association were finally paying off.

"Many people work a lot, but they don't step up for public office," he said.

Bertram said he would continue trying to implement community plans for South Maui and would advocate to create a more "walkable community" with roundabouts, traffic-calming devices and more public transportation.

Bertram's defeated opponent in the primary, Stephen W. West, expressed support for him.

"I'm committed to helping Joe Bertram," he said. "I'm in full support of him and will do everything in my power to see he is elected to represent the people of South Maui and the state of Hawaii."

On his own loss, West said he was a "little disappointed, but also very happy I won't have to sacrifice time away from my family."

On the Republican side of the 11th House race, Fisher said he was buoyed by his primary win over attorney Graham Mottola.

Active in both the AARP and in the tax reform group Committee For More Equitable Taxation, Fisher said he thought he identified better with voters than his opponent.

He said he thought his knowledge and experience both in higher education and in tax reform helped him prevail in the primary contest and would help him reach the state House.

Fisher said he found people in South Maui to be "so supportive."

"You don't have to be a life-long politician to be competitive," he said.

Mottola said he was grateful to meet his neighbors and make new friends, and "I was very thankful to my wife and my friends that came through to help me with the campaigning."

He said he thought there was a strong possibility that Republican voters that would have voted in the 11th House GOP primary ventured instead into the hotly contested Democratic primary between U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and Congressman Ed Case.

"I was very surprised at how few votes were cast for the Republican Party for District 11," he said.

In other House races in the Nov. 7 general election, incumbent Democrat Joe Souki will field a challenge from Republican Tom Cerizo for the 8th House District seat; incumbent Democrat Bob Nakasone will take on Republican Henry Kahula Jr. for the 9th House District seat; incumbent Democrat Kyle Yamashita will face Republican Wesley Goodin for the 12th House District seat; and incumbent Democrat Mele Carroll will defend her 13th House District seat against Republican Ron Davis.

Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@maui news.com. Assistant city editor Brian Perry contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2005 The Maui News.

Original article URL: http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=22608

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