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Hepatitis slows,
won’t stop Kim’s
mayoral bid

The ex-civil-defense director
still aims for the Big Isle post

---

By Frankie Stapleton
Special to the Star-Bulletin

HILO -- A case of hepatitis-A picked up in Honduras has sidelined Big Island mayoral candidate Harry Kim but not knocked him out of the race.

Kim, retired director of Hawaii County Civil Defense, said yesterday doctors confirmed his belief that he had more than a lingering case of the flu.

"I'm turning yellow," Kim said, adding that the contagious phase of his disease should run its course within a week. "Once it's past the contagious period, I will try to play catch-up. I'm going to be back out there waving signs."

Kim spent seven days in Honduras in July at the request of federal authorities, helping the Honduran government develop a civil-defense plan in the wake of massive destruction and loss of life by hurricanes and landslides in the last two years. "Obviously, that job is not over," he said.

"Selfishly, I don't want to be mayor," Kim said, explaining his candidacy represents "a conflict between what I want to do and what needs to be done."

Once he has kicked the effects of his illness, Kim said, "I will work very hard."

Twelve official candidates -- including Democrats Bob Herkes and Dr. Fred Holschuh, former Council Chair Keiko Bonk of the Green Party and Harvey Tajiri, a Republican and former councilman and legislator -- are vying to replace Mayor Stephen Yamashiro. Yamashiro, a Democrat, is prevented from running for a third term by the County Charter.

Kim, well-known throughout the islands in his former role as the county director of civil defense, is running on the GOP ticket.

Most Big Island voters have traditionally voted for Democrats. However, campaigners in some races have expressed concern privately that Kim's mayoral candidacy may pull voters away from contested primary races among Democrats. That's because voters can only use one party's ballot in the primary and Democrats may choose to pull a Republican ballot to vote for Kim.

Before announcing as a GOP candidate, Kim said he was approached by a group of Democratic Party leaders who said they had 5,000 signs printed up and all they had to do was paste Kim's picture over that of former state legislator Wayne Metcalf, who pulled out of the race. "But that's what I was running against," Kim said.

Kim has refused to accept campaign contributions or stifle his well-known penchant for speaking his mind.

He said if he wins the primary, he may start accepting contributions of up to $10.

"If I win the primary, it's for what I represent. And if I lose, it's for the same reason."