Again across the country, it is Super Tuesday, with big primary and caucus decisions to be made — but for Hawaii, we are awaiting Super Saturday.
We are a dozen days away from the Hawaii Democratic caucus selection and it is shaping up to be a competitive race.
Usually any time you have three of the four members of the congressional delegation, plus a handful of former governors and some of the major legislative leaders all coming out for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, you would assume the deal is done.
But, this year, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is giving Clinton a serious run in Hawaii with the same fervor that is playing out across the mainland.
There is a Hawaii angle to the national Sanders campaign, because not only did Hawaii’s U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard endorse Sanders, she has become the warm-up act for Sanders’ speeches across the country.
Last week, Gabbard introduced Sanders to 5,000 in Gainesville, Fla., warmed up a crowd of 4,000 in Raleigh, N.C., and got an estimated 4,800 up and cheering for Sanders at Missouri State University.
In an article datelined Kissimmee, Fla., The Washington Post said Gabbard “arguably does more to articulate Sanders’s views on foreign policy than he does.”
Meanwhile, back in Honolulu, the Clinton campaign’s latest statement notes that “prominent leaders from Hawaii’s Japanese-American community” are endorsing Clinton.
The list includes U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, former Gov. George Ariyoshi and Irene Hirano Inouye. Also, former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui and Senate President Ron Kouchi.
Not on the list is Gov. David Ige, who has previously spoken at a Clinton rally.
A spokeswoman for Ige said, “He’s not going to make any public statement until after the March 26 caucus.”
Both the Clinton and the Sanders national campaigns have parachuted volunteers into the islands to help the efforts during these last days.
It is estimated by campaign insiders that while Clinton will draw the the establishment Democrats and organized labor, Sanders is going to do well with the young and those in the campaigns to ban GMO plants and foods.
Veteran Democratic campaigner, Bart Dame, is the official spokesman for the local Sanders campaign. He explained that he was planning this week to meet with both environmental and Hawaii groups to push for support for Sanders.
“We have no real idea of how we are doing, but we are encountering a lot of enthusiasm,” Dame said.
If there is a problem, Dame reported, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the timing of the March 26 Hawaii caucus.
“Discipline and focus are always a concern — with Democrats, it is not just herding cats, it is herding feral cats,” Dame said.
Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.
