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Cayetano praises
By Pat Omandam
Rep. Case’s potential
Star-BulletinState Rep. Ed Case would make a good Democratic choice for Congress or perhaps, after a few more years of elected office, a good candidate for Hawaii governor, says Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Cayetano, speaking at an informal luncheon meeting with the media yesterday, singled out Case as an outstanding and articulate legislator with a clear vision of the future who would be great for the state in a higher office.
Specifically, the governor praised the House majority leader's commitment last session to passage of civil service reform legislation, despite strong opposition from unions. He said it was the second time Case (D, Manoa) has shown a willingness to take on a controversial issue. The first was his unsuccessful proposal in 1998 to eliminate the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in favor of a single agency to manage all native resources.
"I didn't know Ed very well, but I watched him ever since he got elected, and I think that he understands the long haul and what has to be done," Cayetano said. "He has integrity and he has courage."
"Sometimes people will do it once, and if they get burned they won't do it again ... This is the second time that he's come out and he's taken a leadership type of role," Cayetano said.
Case said yesterday he has decided to run for the Legislature but won't say whether it is for the House or the Senate. He will send out a mailer to his Manoa constituents by the end of this week that will detail what office he intends to seek.
As for a future run for Congress or the executive office, Case said there are practical situations to consider, such as raising his family in Hawaii.
Case said he's flattered by the governor's remarks but doesn't believe he should be singled out. Many other lawmakers worked equally hard on the civil service reform bill, although they didn't get the recognition they deserve.
"I find that if I start thinking too much about my political future, I start making the wrong decisions," he said. "I think that the best decisions arrive from doing the job you're in and not trying to get to another office or to another level.
"I really don't think I'm doing anything unusual. I think I'm doing what my constituents want me to do. I guess that's kind of the way I look at it," Case said.
Meanwhile, the Hawaii Government Employees Association is likely to have a different opinion of Case when it comes to political endorsements. HGEA Executive Director Russell Okata declined to say if the HGEA would actively oppose Case, noting that if they decide to target him, they would have to have another candidate to support.
But Okata stressed, "Ed Case is not a friend of the HGEA."
"We choose to believe the 40,200 members of the HGEA will evaluate the political future of Ed Case at the right time, and I'm sure they will have long memories," Okata said.
http://www.hawaii.gov/
