State Sen. David Ige told Democrats on Sunday that many voters have lost faith in state government and believe too many decisions are being made on behalf of special interests, not the public’s interest.
At the party’s state convention at the Sheraton Waikiki, the state senator, who is running against Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the primary, said he would work to empower public school principals and teachers to improve public education, strive for solar power on every home to reduce dependence on imported oil, and protect the environment — and Hawaii tourism — by fighting the threat posed by invasive species.
"We must reject special interests and always put the public interest first," Ige said. "We must act and honor those who came before us so that we can earn the trust and respect of our people that will allow us to deliver Hawaii to the future that we all want, the Hawaii that we all demand, the Hawaii that we all will fight for so that we can leave a better Hawaii for our children and our children’s children."
Ige poked at Abercrombie, who has brought in more than $3.8 million for his re-election campaign, for his comments to Democrats decrying the influence of money in politics. The governor appeared at a fundraiser earlier this month at the San Francisco home of Larry Ellison, the billionaire founder of Oracle who owns most of Lanai, and was feted Friday evening at a fundraiser in Kakaako by some of the state’s top real estate and development interests.
"You know, I have always lived my life believing that actions speak louder than words," Ige said. "I never want a fundraiser at a billionaire’s residence. I trust that the people of Hawaii will not let this election be bought. I ask you to join me in that trust."
While Ige’s address was not as polished or fiery, and did not get the same enthusiastic reaction from delegates as Abercrombie’s did Saturday, several leading Democrats said privately during the convention that Ige appears to have an opening against the governor. Public and private polls have shown that Ige is competitive against Abercrombie, despite the state senator’s lack of name recognition with voters and his fundraising deficiencies.
Abercrombie, in an interview, said he has consistently supported campaign-finance limits since he first ran for political office in the 1970s.
"It’s not a question of whether someone who supports you has money or not," the governor said. "It’s a question of whether those who support you respect campaign spending limitations and campaign contribution limitations."
Democrats, meanwhile, rejected resolutions Sunday that were signs of the divisions within the party over Abercrombie’s proposal for state-funded preschool and his control over the state Board of Education.
Delegates narrowly defeated a resolution that would have backed the establishment of universal preschool, but only at public schools.
Voters will decide in November whether to approve a constitutional amendment allowing public money to go to private preschools, a critical component of Abercrombie’s plan to eventually offer preschool to all of the state’s 4-year-olds.
But the Hawaii State Teachers Association, which has endorsed Ige, has opposed the constitutional amendment, warning that it could lead to a voucher program that would reward private preschools, including religious schools.
Delegates also turned back a resolution that would have called for the return of an elected state school board.
Voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2010 that allowed the governor to appoint the school board. But the teachers union is disappointed with how the board has handled some collective bargaining issues, while gay-rights and progressive activists have challenged some of the governor’s appointments, particularly Don Horner, the retired First Hawaiian Bank chairman who is a pastor at New Hope Diamond Head Church.
Delegates agreed to withdraw a resolution that would have put the party on record opposing the state’s imposition of last, best and final contract offers in negotiations with public-sector labor unions, a reminder of the clash between Abercrombie and the teachers union in 2011 when the governor unilaterally imposed a contract on teachers.
Democrats also voted Sunday to elect Stephanie Ohigashi, a longtime party activist on Maui, as their new state party chairwoman.
Ohigashi, an executive assistant to Maui County Councilman Mike Victorino, comfortably defeated Tony Gill, an attorney and former chairman of Oahu Democrats, drawing overwhelming support from neighbor island delegates.
Ohigashi replaces Dante Carpenter, who decided not to seek another two-year term as chairman after leading the party since 2010.
She told delegates that she "made a decision that after my 31 years in the party, I had to do something that meant a little bit more than pounding signs and making beef stew," adding, "I wanted to serve you in this capacity."
