Of the entire 51-seat state House, only 14 seats on Oahu have contested races in the Nov. 6 general election. That makes for a substantial number of returning incumbents — mostly Democrats — but still, voters in more than a dozen districts have noteworthy options if dissatisfied with their representation in the Legislature. Here are our endorsements for the House races stretching from Hawaii Kai into the urban core (other races will come Thursday and Friday).
>> District 17 (Kalama Valley- Queen’s Gate-Hawaii Kai): The Republican incumbent, Gene Ward, deserves another term over Libertarian challenger Alan J.K. Yim, a Marine Corps veteran who wants to help Hawaii Kai succeed economically. One of only five Republicans in the House this past session (there are none in the Senate), Ward has been a formidable advocate for his district, mindful of staying on top of the area’s current and emerging issues — ranging from feral cats, to homelessness, to development concerns due to land-lease expirations.
>> District 18 (Hahaione Valley- Aina Haina-Kahala): Mark Hashem, the Democratic incumbent, gets the endorsement over Republican challenger Ola Souza, an enthusiastic candidate who has worked as a radio producer and communications director for SHOPO. Souza deserves a look for her views on curbing taxes and increasing the availability of housing across all price points. But Hashem, a former small-businesss owner who has represented East Honolulu since November 2010, seems to understand well the priorities in his district — including Kalanianaole Highway traffic and flood control — and is working diligently to address them.
>> District 20 (Palolo-St. Louis Heights-Kaimuki): This perennial contest between Democratic incumbent Calvin Say and Republican challenger Julia Allen tends each time to be harder than it looks, due largely to Allen’s credibility, including her work for years with the state Senate minority and as a member of the neighborhood board. Both candidates are well-known by this district’s constituency, but Say gets the edge. Like Allen, he is a small-business person and more fiscally conservative than many Democratic colleagues, though he is less socially conservative than Allen. In another telling difference: Say voted to financially support the rail project — Allen would’ve voted against — and his is the practical position given the project’s potential for transportation and affordable housing.
>> District 22 (Waikiki-Ala Moana): Voters here have two solid choices in this repeat of 2016: Kathryn Henski-Stark, a retired businesswoman long engaged in the Republican Party, is again challenging Democratic incumbent Tom Brower. Two years ago, Brower was still under taint for taking a sledgehammer in 2013 to shopping carts used by homeless people; he subsequently was assaulted near the then-growing Kakaako homeless encampment. Brower gets our nod this time, for working through the legislative process as House Housing chairman to help produce a $570 million omnibus housing package targeting working-class families. Both candidates are civically active in this district and have resourceful mindsets for this community’s issues, ranging from crime, to homelessness, to cost of living.
>> District 27 (Nuuanu-Liliha- Alewa Heights): Democratic incumbent Takashi Ohno and Republican challenger Mela Kealoha-Lindsey both bring intriguing ideas on tough issues, ranging from homelessness and affordable housing, to educational reform. Ohno, though, deserves reelection for doing well by his constituents, responding to various needs such as improved safety lighting and state roadwork. Kealoha, whose experience is in nonprofits and entrepreneurial and homeless outreach, is right in advocating for nontraditional housing such as igloo-type structures and domes; Ohno is equally right in calling for actionable benchmarks for state-contracted homeless service providers to move the needle on this crisis.
