Hawaii’s World
VISIBLE on our political landscape are only three strong candidates for governor in 2002 -- Jeremy Harris, Mazie Hirono and Linda Lingle. Outlook for 2002 race
for governorGovernor Cayetano gave Harris a boost by saying he will strongly support him for re-election as mayor of Honolulu next year. But that's support in the year 2000, not in 2002. Cayetano then could still lean toward Hirono, who is his lieutenant governor.
For the next three years all three contenders will be down in the grass roots and stepping carefully. Could a fourth spring out of nowhere? Possible. Unlikely.
In next year's mayor's race, Harris could be opposed by one or more Honolulu City Council members but the Cayetano commitment may make that less attractive. Former Mayor Frank Fasi, who will be 80, might jump in, too.
Harris will be vulnerable to charges he is likely to resign after 18 months of his four-year term as required if he files for governor. He'll be hammered on whether that is his intent.
Should Harris go into the 2002 race, he most likely will find Lieutenant Governor Hirono already running hard for the Democratic nomination. The mayor's election is nonpartisan, but Harris has announced himself a Democrat. He would not be nearly as likely as his predecessor, Fasi, to form a third party to duck a primary contest. But it's possible.
Hirono has no such problem but does face the semi-obscurity that goes with her job. It has heightened since Cayetano's remarriage diminished his need to call on her as a hostess at Washington Place or to make speeches in his stead. Vicky Cayetano is a charming speaker. She seems to enjoy the role.
Cayetano, however, has assigned Hirono to head a task force to cut government red tape. We can expect to hear much from her on this in the next couple of years -- and should wish her success.
Contender No. 3, Linda Lingle, the former mayor of Maui, has perhaps the toughest role. Since losing by a hair for governor last year, Lingle sought and won the state chairmanship of the Republican Party to keep herself in the spotlight.
She doesn't have to carry the Republicans to a reversal of the Democratic sweep of Hawaii in 1954 to be credible in another try for governor, but she does have to win significantly more seats in the Legislature next year and show well in county elections. Otherwise she and the GOP will be seen as a continuing lost cause.
AS GOP chairwoman, Lingle has set herself a tough agenda of luring fresh, quality candidates to the Republican ticket and of establishing the GOP as an organization that cares about people and communities, not just about votes.
She is trying to get Republicans to speak with the same kind of unified, clear voice that helped the Democrats sweep into power beginning in 1954 by calling for equal opportunity, better public education, land reform, business trust-busting and home rule.
Lingle wants to revitalize the University of Hawaii, drop the excise tax on food and drugs, end duplication of government services, reduce government bureaucracy and more, but still has to get everybody in the party to sing the same tune.
We could have a Harris vs. Hirono Democratic primary in 2002, then either a Harris-Lingle or a Hirono-Lingle showdown in November. Should it be Hirono-Lingle that would be our first-ever governor finale between two women.
A.A. Smyser is the contributing editor
and former editor of the the Star-Bulletin
His column runs Tuesday and Thursday.