Former state Rep. Gil Riviere said Sunday that he will enter the Democratic primary for the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Clayton Hee, who is running for lieutenant governor.
Riviere switched political parties last year and became a Democrat, originally intending to seek the House seat he lost to Rep. Richard Fale (R, Waialua-Kahuku-Waiahole) in a close Republican primary in 2012.
Fale has announced that he will run in the Republican primary for Senate, so the two could meet again this year. Former Rep. Colleen Meyer, who narrowly lost to Hee in 2012, will also run in the GOP primary.
Hee endorsed Riviere on Sunday, saying he had a lot in common with the former representative and every confidence that Riviere could keep the Senate seat in Democratic hands.
"I feel like I have the district’s heart and interests within me, and I believe the constituents appreciate the representation I bring," said Riviere, who attended Hee’s lieutenant governor announcement at Iolani Palace.
"It’s a bigger race and this has come very quickly, but part of politics is timing. And there is an opportunity there to represent a greater district."
When Fale revealed his intentions to run for the Senate, his target was Hee, who was instrumental in the passage of a marriage equality law in special session last year. Fale, a Mormon, opposes gay marriage, and he had hoped to use the discontent with the special session in the Mormon-dominated Laie region to fuel his campaign in a district that covers Heeia to Waialua.
Meyer also opposes gay marriage.
But gay marriage might be defused as a political issue if Riviere is the Democratic nominee.
Riviere said he would have voted against gay marriage had he still been in the Legislature during the special session. He said he would have preferred that gay marriage be put before voters in a constitutional amendment, the same position as Fale and Meyer.
"However, now that it is the law, I fully support it. There’s no turning back," Riviere said. "I cherish everybody’s relationship and respect it and honor that."
Riviere, a mortgage broker who lives in Waialua, has been a leader with Keep the North Shore Country, so it is likely that land conservation and development issues could figure in the Senate campaign. He has supported a conservation easement to protect 665 acres at Turtle Bay Resort from future development and has been critical of development projects such as Envision Laie.
Riviere served one two-year term in the House before losing to Fale by 76 votes in the GOP primary. The North Shore House district had been redrawn after the census, stretching into Laie, Hauula and Waiahole, where Fale was stronger.
Fale said Riviere’s moves have been politically calculated to help himself, not the House or Senate districts.
"It’s the same old stuff," he said. "It’s what people don’t like about politics. It’s what people don’t like about their leaders in state government.
"They want someone who just wants to do the right thing and who’s willing to do the heavy lifting and the hard work to make that happen."
Meyer, a conservative Republican, served for 14 years in the House before losing a tight race to Rep. Jessica Wooley (D, Kahaluu-Ahuimanu-Kaneohe) in 2008. Meyer did the best of any Republican Senate challenger when she ran against Hee in 2012, losing by fewer than 1,000 votes.
Meyer was a consistent opponent of higher taxes and fees and an advocate for small businesses in the House.
"I have far more experience than Rep. Fale," she said. "He’s just come off his freshman term. His No. 1 issue was the same-sex marriage issue, which is moot now."
