The last time I ran for office, my opponent started his campaign by saying I could not understand "family values" because I don't have children. The fact that I can't have children only made the statement more absurd.
Regardless of how the developer-backed good ol' boys and political gadflies of Hawaii campaign against me, I will stay focused as I always have - on the issues.
Nonetheless, I must respond to the most recent negative campaign.. This time my opponents are attacking me for falling in love.
Let me say, up front and as clearly as I can, that I am in love with Michael Christopher, who was appointed by the Hawaii County Council to do research and draft legislation for the county.
This does not change the fact that he is the most qualified person on the Council staff. As a college professor and expert on socio-economic change, Christopher was hired, at my suggestion, to solve the legislative problems that our county has been unable to, or refused to, solve for decades.
These issues include campaign finance reform, ending government subsidies for cutting down our native forests and closing the $5-29 million per year tax loopholes in our agricultural tax assessment system.
As a result of Christopher's work, we changed the tax policy regarding native forests. Now our tax system encourages their preservation rather than subsidize their destruction.
Against unanimous community support, the Council and administration are still doing all they can to prevent the passage of campaign finance reform and the closing of tax loopholes for wealthy "gentlemen farmers."
Having reminded people of the high stakes involved, let me return to the recent discussion of my private life.
The press, prompted by two of my political opponents, has seen fit to begin this election by making news out of my love life.
The charge seems to be that falling in love with someone you work with is in some way unethical. The Ethics Commission of Hawaii County dismissed all "charges" against me as groundless, the day after they were used as the basis of front-page stories around the state.
It has been suggested by some, and insinuated by others, that I should never have recommended Christopher for the job because I had strong feelings for him.
The truth is no one else with his qualifications was willing to make the sacrifice entailed in taking such a job.
In the last year my feelings for him have grown in large part because he has demonstrated the courage to stand up to those who have bought and paid for politicians.
These people are destroying our democracy, our economy and our environment.
When I recommended him, I had no idea my feelings for him would grow. But I knew that, like everyone else I had recommended, I needed someone I could trust, because this is politics. Along with a commitment to political reform come the guarantees of threats and bribes.
The truth of the matter is, because I do not take money from or do favors for big developers, many people would like to see me out of politics.
It is very difficult, however, to publicly attack a politician for telling the truth, supporting economic diversification rather than economic centralization, closing tax loopholes, protecting our natural environment, refusing to do political favors or opening up the political process. I stand by my record on all these issues.
I would like to see my opponents try to campaign on their records, rather than on rhetoric and personal attacks.