The 800-member Honolulu Fire Department Retirees Association has endorsed former Gov. Ben Cayetano in the race for Honolulu mayor, while campaign rival Kirk Caldwell picked up another union endorsement.
Retirees Association President Donald Chang announced the group’s endorsement Tuesday at a news conference at Cayetano’s campaign headquarters.
"Ben understands the problems that we face as retirees on fixed incomes and trying to make ends meet," Chang said. "The city of Honolulu is broken and needs fixing. Ben has the solution, the ability, the determination to make the City and County of Honolulu the city it should be."
Cayetano, a former two-term Democratic governor, and Caldwell, the former city managing director, are seeking to unseat incumbent Mayor Peter Carlisle.
Caldwell received the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260.
"In these tough economic times, now more than ever Honolulu needs a leader like Mr. Caldwell as Honolulu mayor," Brian Ahakuelo, business manager for Local 1260, said in a statement Tuesday. "He has the experience and commitment to lead our economic recovery, protect vital city services, and provide genuine stability for working families."
IBEW Local 1260 represents about 3,300 employees across Hawaii and Guam in professional sectors including service contractors at military installations, utilities and broadcasters.
Caldwell, who served as acting mayor for six months in 2010 after Mufi Hannemann resigned to run for governor, has picked up most of the endorsements from labor unions, including the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the United Public Workers and the Honolulu Fire Fighters Association.
Cayetano, the only one of the three opposed to the city’s planned $5.27 billion rail transit project, led the race in a poll conducted in February by the Star-Advertiser and Hawaii News Now.
