Gov. Josh Green reluctantly filled a vacant state Senate seat Tuesday by appointing someone running for a state House seat to represent parts of West Oahu in the Senate until the Nov. 5 general election.
Green appointed Croccifixio “Cross” Crabbe to replace former Sen. Maile Shimabukuro, who resigned in May and was a Democrat representing the Nanakuli-Waianae-Makaha district.
Under Hawaii law the governor has 60 calendar days after a state Senate or House of Representatives vacancy to appoint a replacement from a list of three prospective appointees submitted by the same political party as the departing incumbent.
However, Green initially said he did not intend to do so because it would have too much influence on the Aug. 10 primary election.
In addition to Crabbe, the two choices for appointment were Rep. Cedric Gates (D, Waianae-Makaha) and Stacelynn Eli, a former state House member representing parts of Leeward Oahu. Gates and Eli are the only Democratic candidates on the primary election
ballot seeking to replace Shimabukuro.
Shimabukuro had endorsed Gates, who is vacating his House seat in an effort to move to the Senate.
Crabbe is the office manager for Gates, and faces two other Democrats in the primary election for the House seat being vacated by Gates. Those two other candidates are Desire De Soto and Philip Ganaban.
Green said he will propose legislation to change the appointment window to 120 days from 60 to avoid
instances where a selection could be close to an election, but that he is currently bound to make a pick to
fill the seat vacated by Shimabukuro.
“It is my constitutional obligation to support free and fair elections, and this was the only path to maintain that integrity,” he said in a statement.
Gates said in a statement that he was pleased Green made a selection and that it is critical that area residents have a representative in the Senate after being without one for nearly two months. Gates also expressed confidence that his former office manager will effectively serve area residents
temporarily.
Senate President Ron
Kouchi (D, Kauai-Niihau) welcomed Crabbe as the newest member in the Senate. Kouchi previously criticized Green’s initial position to not appoint anyone to the vacant Senate seat before the primary election on the grounds it would violate the governor’s obligation under the state Constitution to support free and fair
elections.
Crabbe issued a statement thanking Green and Gates while also saying he will work on issues facing the district during his temporary stint in the Senate.
