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Hawaii warms to
presidential contenders

By Richard Borreca
Star-Bulletin

So far the campaigns are low-key, but Hawaii is slowly getting excited about this year's presidential race.

Democrats and Republicans in Hawaii are now actively working for the four main candidates, Vice President Albert Gore, former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley, Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Arizona Sen. John McCain.

The big leaders so far include Gore, who has picked up the support of nearly all of Hawaii's major Democrats, including Gov. Ben Cayetano, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, Sens. Dan Inouye and Daniel Akaka, and U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Patsy Mink.

At the same time, Democratic Sen. Colleen Hanabusa and Councilman Duke Bainum along with a several major businessmen are supporting Bradley.

On the Republican side, major party leaders are going with the front-runner, Bush. McCain's supporters come from former campaigners for Orson Swindle, a two-time unsuccessful GOP congressional candidate now serving on the Federal Trade Commission.

McCain and Swindle are both former Vietnam prisoners of war and former military pilots.

GOP Party Chairwoman Linda Lingle is staying out of the presidential campaign, saying she wants to focus attention on rebuilding the local GOP.

"I'm making no predictions," she said. "Everyone would be happy whether Bush or McCain wins."

Democratic Party Chairman Walter Heen also is staying out of the day-to-day campaigning, but points out that both local Bradley and Gore supporters have been holding meetings and organizing for the March 7 caucuses.

Bradley backer Hanabusa said, "If we can get enough registered Democrats out there, we are hoping to hold our own with Gore. We will be able to show that he has support."

Choosing delegates

Democrats hold precinct meetings on March 7 to elect delegates to the convention in May. They will also vote in a presidential preference poll with the Democratic delegation to then be weighted according to the presidential selections.

Republicans are meeting in caucus this week to pick delegates to their convention. Lingle said she expects the delegation to be uncommitted.

Neither local party has been much of a factor in national politics. Presidential primary candidates have not stopped in Hawaii during the heated primary season because Hawaii has so few votes.

But the campaigns are a rallying point for the local political parties and a source of competition for representation in the delegation to the national convention.