Suddenly it is good to be Gov. David Ige.

As the 65-year-old Pearl City Democrat wraps up eight years as governor, it appears that his cautious, make-no-waves political style has survived a rough two terms.

Ige’s time as governor ends Dec. 5. Although there have been no public polls released so far this year, it is expected that Hawaii’s longtime dominant Democratic Party will carry another Democrat to victory this fall.

Windward and North Shore City Councilwoman Heidi Tsuneyoshi is probably the most well-known GOP politician who has announced for governor. The major Democrats expected to run are Lt. Gov. Josh Green, former Hawaii first lady Vicky Cayetano and former Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Also said to be interested in the top state job is 2nd Congressional District Rep. Kai Kahele who is in the mulling-it-over stage.

At last count, 21 aspiring candidates have taken out papers for the governor’s race. The deadline for potential candidates to file and get in the race is June 7.

When Neil Abercrombie was in Congress, he ran for governor, having an easy time framing his campaign around two things: First, after decades in the state House, Senate, City Council and Congress, everyone knew him; and second, he wasn’t a Republican like then-outgoing Gov. Linda Lingle.

Then when Abercrombie ran for reelection, he discovered he was also well known for his volatile, sometimes antagonistic nature. Enter Ige, who unlike Abercrombie, could run a campaign without making it personal. Oddly enough, Ige’s opponents in his second gubernatorial campaign attacked him for not being a leader. Ige faced former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the primary and won with 51.4% of the vote. Although Ige was never accused of being a skillful politician, Hanabusa was unable to make an issue out of Ige’s indifferent leadership style.

Now, four years later, voters will be judging the new candidates.

Hawaii’s economy has turned around to such an extent that legislators are racing to give taxpayers money back.

With legislative estimates of more than $250 million in state tax rebates available, the lack of money will not be an issue in 2022 campaigns.

Campaigning this year will be like the Oprah show, where everyone in the audience got a car. “You get a car and you get a car!” became the meme.

You can always quibble over how to spend it, but the money is out there.

For example, the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly reports it has been offered immediate one-time, lump-sum bonus of 1% of annual base pay, retroactive to June 30, 2021, plus a salary increase of 14.35% compounded over the three years of the contract. There’s no word as of press time if the professors would accept the offer, but public unions can see the money.

With so much dough available and Hawaii’s economy looking at several years of major tourism growth, the gubernatorial campaign could be, “We want Ige.”

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808onpolitics@gmail.com.