Wayne Hikida, a former insurance executive who has served as a Mormon bishop, does not think of himself as a politician.
But he was so disappointed with how the state Legislature handled gay marriage last year that he decided to campaign as a Republican for the state House against Rep. Chris Lee (D, Kailua-Lanikai-Waimanalo), one of the most visible advocates for marriage equality.
For Hikida, it wasn’t just that gay marriage was approved during a special session, or that the Legislature declined to put the issue before voters through a constitutional amendment. He believes it was an example of how ruling Democrats have lost touch with the people.
"I think it’s just a small minority that’s driving the direction of our state," he said.
Motivated by the gay-marriage debate, several religious conservatives are seeking state House and Senate seats as Republicans. While gay marriage provided the fuel, many of the candidates, like Hikida, do not have a single-issue focus — since the state’s marriage equality law is unlikely to be reversed — and are concerned about the broader issues facing the state.
"They were motivated by that as a major issue. But they’ve seen the bigger failures of government and they want to do something about it," said Dylan Nonaka, a Republican consultant and a former executive director of the Hawaii Republican Party.
Political analysts have discounted gay marriage as an important factor in this year’s elections, predicting that the intensity of the opposition during the special session will wane by the August primary and November general election. But analysts do believe it will be an issue in some campaigns, particularly for the state House, where small shifts in voting patterns can make a difference.
Jerry Burris, a former political columnist and editorial page editor for The Honolulu Advertiser, said he believes a majority of voters support marriage equality. But he thinks there are stronger feelings, and a greater motivation to organize, among opponents.
"I don’t think many people in favor of gay marriage, except for the activist types, are going to operate politically around that one issue," he said. "But the people who are opposed to it will organize and motivate themselves around that issue, so it can have an effect."
The Hawaii Republican Party disappointed many religious conservatives by not being more aggressive in opposing gay marriage during the special session. The party frustrated conservatives even more when Pat Saiki, the former congresswoman who became party chairwoman in March, declared that issues would be less important than finding quality candidates and registering more Republicans to vote.
Splinter factions such as the Hawaii Republican Assembly, the party’s conservative wing, have become increasingly vocal about the party’s lack of ideological direction.
Conservative interest groups such as Hawaii Family Advocates and the Hawai‘i Christian Coalition, with the mobilizing assistance of churches, have tried to build a movement around social issues like gay marriage and Pono Choices — a sex education pilot program that conservatives claim is medically inaccurate and too graphic for middle-schoolers — but so far have not had the financial resources necessary to make a statewide impact.
Many Republicans, however, do not believe a swing to the religious right will make the GOP any more competitive over the long term. The strategy from party leaders has been to attack the process that the Democrats used to approve marriage equality, not the issue itself.
Saiki, in an email, said, "We are not worried about association with the religious right or any other community group — we are an open party and welcome people from every walk of life. We celebrate our diverse membership — even those who hold opposing views on the issues.
"People may have different opinions regarding same-sex marriage, and we respect those opinions. However, the point that is not accepted is the arrogance with which the Democrats denied the people the right to decide through the ballot box. Instead, the majority rammed the legislation through a special session. This arrogance of power is a legitimate issue and should be further discussed by the public."
Gay marriage will likely be a theme in the governor’s race. Former Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, who is seeking a rematch after losing to Gov. Neil Abercrombie in 2010, is a Catholic who opposes gay marriage. The leading Republican for lieutenant governor, Elwin Ahu, is a former state judge and senior pastor at New Hope Metro who helped direct the opposition during the special session.
Political strategists have identified several House campaigns where the issue might have some resonance.
Kelly Valenzuela, a community advocate and the daughter of the late former state lawmaker Wilfred "Buddy" Soares, is running as a Republican for the seat held by Rep. Nicole Lowen (D, Holualoa, Kailua-Kona, Honokohau), a freshman who voted for marriage equality. Lowen is facing a primary challenge from Kalei Akaka, the granddaughter of retired U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, who lost to Lowen by 45 votes in the primary in 2012.
Max Fowler, an associate pastor at Kaka‘ako Christian Fellowship, is campaigning as a Republican for the seat held by Rep. Takashi Ohno (D, Nuuanu-Liliha-Alewa Heights), a freshman who voted for marriage equality. Ohno had said before he was elected in 2012 that "I am not running to change any marriage laws."
Eldean Kukahiko, a retired police officer and senior pastor at Hope Chapel Kahaluu, is running as a Republican for an open seat being vacated by former Rep. Jessica Wooley (D, Kahaluu-Ahuimanu-Kaneohe), the new director of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control. Robert Harris, the director of Sierra Club Hawai‘i, and Jarrett Keohokalole, who works on invasive-species issues at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, are the Democratic candidates.
Feki Pouha, who has a personal finance business and is a law school graduate of Brigham Young University in Utah, is campaigning as a Republican for the open seat being vacated by Rep. Richard Fale (R, Waialua-Kahuku-Waiahole), a strong opponent of gay marriage who is running for state Senate. Kent Fonoimoana, who has a home inspection business and serves on the Koolauloa Neighborhood Board, is the Democratic candidate.
Janet Grace, who works in home health care and is the former director of Hawaii Right to Life, and Danielle Smith, a former preschool teacher who led a ministry for young adults at One Love Ministries, are competing in the Republican primary to take on Rep. Tom Brower (D, Waikiki-Ala Moana-Kakaako), who voted for marriage equality.
A bellwether could be the primary between Joan Hood, an apostle, co-director and world mission director at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church’s Pacific Realm, who is challenging Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, Kailua-Kaneohe), the only Republican in the Legislature who voted for marriage equality.
Hikida, the former insurance executive who is running against Lee, said that, like many people, he did not really pay much attention to politics at the Legislature. For him and others, the special session on gay marriage was an eye-opener.
In the past, he said he thought the Democratic Party was the party of the people. "And I think they’ve abandoned the people with some of the policies that they’ve taken," he said. "I worry about the fiscal viability of the state. We’ve got five children, and three of them have left the state because they can’t afford to live here.
"So I think if we’re not careful to the future we’re going to lose who we are. That’s the thing prompting me to run."
Lee said that 63.5 percent of the feedback he received from his constituents was in support of marriage equality, so he believes he was representing the views of his Windward district.
Lee is the chairman of the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee and part of the leadership coalition that controls the House.
"I’d say it was the right thing to do because it’s a free country. It’s not government’s place to tell people who they should or should not love," he said. "And it’s my obligation under the U.S. Constitution to provide equal rights to all citizens."
