Political fallout continues as uncertainty hangs over U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele’s political future — either in Congress or in a run for governor.
The first-term congressman has not confirmed reports that he told House leadership Friday that he will not seek reelection and instead will run for governor.
Several isle politicians have filed federal election papers to run for Kahele’s seat in the Aug. 13 Democratic primary, including Council Chair Tommy Waters, state Rep. Patrick Branco (D, Kailua-Kaneohe) and former state Sen. Jill Tokuda.
The attention on Kahele’s seat already has disrupted the lieutenant governor’s race after Tokuda bowed out to instead run for office in Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes the neighbor islands and rural Oahu. Her decision leaves four lieutenant governor candidates in a race with no clear front-runner.
Waters’ Council district runs from East Honolulu to Waikiki. The Kaimuki resident told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday that he continues to explore the possibility of running for Kahele’s seat.
“I’m continuing to meet with stakeholders and talk to valued community members and should be making a decision shortly,” he wrote in a text.
Branco wrote in a text that he had “nothing to share at the moment.”
State Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole (D, Kailua- Kaneohe) also filed his intent to run for Kahele’s seat but told the Star-Advertiser on Tuesday that he instead will seek reelection to his Senate seat in the Legislature, where he believes he can be more effective.
All 76 House and Senate seats are up for election this year, along with the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s offices.
On the Republican side, a crowded list of congressional candidates includes state Rep. Bob McDermott (R, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point).
Uncertainty continues to swirl around Kahele, who has attracted national media attention for his record of having colleagues cast “proxy” votes in his behalf rather than appear in Washington, D.C., to vote in person.
Kahele has repeatedly declined to respond to questions about a potential run for governor, although during a Feb. 9 appearance on the Star-Advertiser’s “Spotlight Hawaii” livestream program, Kahele said, “Stay tuned and we’ll see. I’m giving serious thought to this.”
New questions surround whether he plans to sit out an election cycle or announce a run for governor, possibly as soon as Saturday.
Correction: City Council Chair Tommy Waters lives in Kaimuki, not Waimanalo as reported in an earlier version of this story.
