Pledging to run a campaign that will touch all corners of urban Honolulu, City Councilman Stanley Chang on Wednesday became the first to declare his candidacy for the congressional seat expected to be vacated by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa.
"We’re going to reach out to community leaders. We’re going to reach out to teachers. We’re going to reach out to lawyers. We’re going to reach out to retirees, students," Chang said at a news conference across the street from the federal building and flanked by about 30 supporters. "And we’re going to keep fighting every single day for the future of Hawaii."
Chang is the first declared candidate in what is expected to be a crowded Democratic field for the 1st Congressional District (urban Honolulu).
Although no one else declared their candidacy Wednesday, state Sen. Brickwood Galuteria (D, Kakaako-McCully-Waikiki) added his name to the list of those considering a run for Congress.
Some likely are waiting for a vacancy to be formally declared. Hanabusa has not yet announced her plans, but a campaign source says she has decided to challenge U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz — appointed last year to replace the late Sen. Daniel Inouye — in 2014.
Chang, 30, was elected to his first term on the City Council in 2010, representing District 4 (Waikiki-Hawaii Kai). Chang will give up his seat on the Council in 2014, when that term expires.
On Wednesday he touted increased funding for roads, "world class governance" of the Honolulu rail project and increased preservation initiatives as measures that he helped pass during his short time on the Council.
Most recently, Chang introduced Bill 72 (12), which bans smoking at major East Honolulu beaches and parks. The bill passed the Council and was signed into law by Mayor Kirk Caldwell this month, although a glitch in the wording means the Council will need to fix it before enforcement can begin at six of the seven locales.
(This week, a Council committee advanced a measure introduced by Councilman Ikaika Anderson to ban smoking at all 293 Oahu parks and beaches.)
"We have a number of great accomplishments," Chang said.
Chang had filed paperwork in January with the Federal Election Commission for a potential run as a Democrat in House District 1 and raised a token $26,000 in the first quarter of 2013, according to FEC records.
He declined to speculate how much money will be needed for the race.
"We’re going to need a lot of resources and we’re going to need a lot of help," Chang said.
Hanabusa raised more than $2 million last year for her rematch with GOP challenger Charles Djou. Djou had won the seat in a special election in May 2010 before Hanabusa claimed the seat in the general election later that year.
Each raised more than $1 million that year.
