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The Senate president
By Richard Borreca
announces retirement
Star-BulletinSTATE Sen. Norman Mizuguchi, Senate president and a 26-year legislative veteran, said today he will not run for re-election this fall. Mizuguchi, 61, said he planned to retire from political life and did not expect to campaign for any other office.
"Now, I look forward to repaying my family by giving them a little more attention," he said this afternoon during a new conference at the state Capitol.
He is the president of Hawaiian Emporium and a former teacher and state educational officer. After representing the Aiea-Kalihi area for more than a quarter century, Mizuguchi had a surprisingly difficult time winning re-election four years ago This year, City Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim, also a Democrat, said she was interested in Mizuguchi's Senate seat.
He declined to endorse a successor.
"Today's announcement is intended to provide potential candidates with sufficient time to decide whether they wish to run for the Senate seat," he said.
"I hope that the people of my district will have a choice of good candidates."
Mizuguchi's departure is expected to trigger a scramble for a new Senate president and perhaps an entirely new slate of committee leaders in the Senate.
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