Not long ago, nobody seemed to want the lieutenant governor’s job, least of all the person who held it. Shan Tsutsui resigned to take a private-sector post and the next two in the order of succession, Senate president and House speaker, passed it on to the third in line, the attorney general.
Ironically, only weeks later the post has drawn exceedingly healthy interest. Five Democrats, three Republicans, a Green and two nonpartisans are on the ballot. Perhaps it was the job’s primary lure: The winner is eventually primed to run for governor down the road.
Within that strong field, former state Sen. Jill Tokuda has made the most persuasive case for that No. 2 spot, and she gets the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s endorsement for the Democratic nomination.
An all-star roster of Democratic hopefuls have been hitting the LG campaign trail. Kim Coco Iwamoto, attorney and former school board member, has been an outspoken advocate especially for the poor and marginalized, and wants to see the office be a landing point for those needing a stronger voice in government.
Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho is the only one to hold an executive government role and believes he can make the job a true partnership with whoever is at the top of the ticket. Former state Sen. Will Espero, the outgoing majority floor leader and housing chairman, has been an force on multiple fronts, including judicial reform concerns.
Former state Sen. Josh Green, who leads in the polls, is still a practicing physician who chaired the health and human services committees over his career in both chambers.
He advocated for consumer needs in the healthcare industry and for the social safety net. In this campaign and over the past year Green has rallied behind the cause of addressing homelessness, which would be a signature initiative. His campaign received highly visible promotional support from a political action committee, Be Change Now, financed by the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters.
But of all the candidates, Tokuda remains the one with the broadest range of experience and skills, making her the best choice for the LG’s office.
She has a wide perspective on the realities of governance and budgeting, heading a range of legislative committees, on topics from education to agriculture and Hawaiian affairs, culminating in the Senate Ways and Means Committee chairmanship. Such knowledge surely would be helpful in a future collaboration between the State Capitol’s executive fifth floor and the legislative branch.
Tokuda has an intriguing plan for the office itself, proposing that the lieutenant governor become the chair of the Board of Education. This would require a constitutional amendment, of course, but it would harden the lines of accountability between the administration and the school board that it appoints.
“The lieutenant governor should have a legislative package every year, where they reach out to various advocates and take a look at different issues that groups would want to champion,” Tokuda said during a meeting with the Star-Advertiser editorial board. Having a sounding board in the LG’s office would serve the interest of the public, so often feeling shut out from this part of the process.
On the Republican slate, the three hopefuls each bring reputable biographies to the race. Marisa Kerns was born in the Philippines, she emigrated to Hawaii in 1987 and now owns a shipping business, Oahu Express. She would like to see the rail project privatized and lists cutting taxes and state government costs among her priorities.
Jeremy Low, a legislative aide and past research analyst under the Lingle administration, also offers credibly conservative platforms for the GOP voter, citing issues such as the need for economic development. He also advocates broader education in Hawaiian history, culture and language.
But the Star-Advertiser endorses Steve Lipscomb for his multifaceted plan for the state, seeking to advance the “three E’s” of economy, education and environment. A decorated Air Force pilot before his retirement, Lipscomb then became a Microsoft director and manager for six years, ending in 2017.
Lipscomb favors a multipronged approach to homelessness, including making more land available for development and ending the Hawaiian homesteading backlog.
In response to a Star-Advertiser survey he also said he would champion transparency audits for major government spending. He would be an advocate for a more efficient administration of public schools. He would boost competition over special interests and adjusting the Jones Act, which raises shipping costs, to lower the cost of living.
Green Party candidate Renee Ing, unopposed, will advance to the general. Also on the ballot are nonpartisans Ernest Magaoay and Paul Robotti. Magaoay is an investor who wants a forensic audit of the rail project. Robotti is a sales consultant and veteran who wants to help Hawaii retain teachers.
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TOMORROW: Endorsements in the race for governor.
