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State Legislature
State seats Hawaii's primary elections, usually the main event for state legislative races, will play a less important role this year, with 14 races or 21 percent already decided because no one challenged the incumbents.
offer fewer
primary battles
Primary Election 2000
By Richard Borrecca
Star-Bulletin
Another two races will be decided in the primary, as Democratic Rep. Ed Case and Jason Iwai in District 23 (Manoa) and Democratic newcomers Randy Kusaka and Blake Oshiro in District 33 (Red Hill-Aiea) have no Republican opposition.
Two years ago, all legislative seats had races in either the primary or general election or both.
This year, one of the biggest primary battles is between two well-known Republicans, Sen. Whitney Anderson and Fred Hemmings, a former state representative and unsuccessful candidate for governor.
Anderson, a 20-year legislative veteran, sees the race as a referendum on his actions in office.
"They are saying I am not a Republican, I've lost touch with Republican values," Anderson, who has served as GOP leader in the Senate, complained.
Anderson said he recalls holding signs supporting Hemmings when he ran for governor and donated to his campaign, but now Hemmings is challenging him, he said.
Anderson said his problems started when he voted against the confirmation of Margery Bronster as the state attorney general two years ago.
Congressional races
already decidedSen. Chun Oakland, D, Dist. 14, (Alewa Heights-Kalihi)
After being shown polls that indicated Anderson would lose to a Democrat, Hemmings said he decided to run for the office. Hemmings declined to say who sponsored the poll.
"I saw Whitney couldn't hold the seat. ... I thought there were other ways we could serve, and I thought I'd cured myself of this," Hemmings said.
"But now, I'm running on the issues and not against Whitney," he said.
Republican Party Chairwoman Linda Lingle said the primary battle wasn't a surprise. She said she expected Anderson to have opposition after the controversial Bronster vote.
"It is just logical that after something like that, you would have opposition," she said.
Lingle said the GOP doesn't endorse candidates in the primary, but conceded that in some races, party members will support one candidate over another Republican.
"If we have a primary fight, I may try to wave one off, if there is one who has deeper roots in the community or greater ability to form a campaign team and raise money," she said.
But recalling her early races as a Maui councilwoman, Lingle said she wouldn't discourage anyone from running.
"I know what it is like to be a candidate and to be told you don't have a chance. I still remember what it is like," she said.
On the Democratic side, party chairman Walter Heen considered a primary battle helpful.
"I think it is a good idea. The more people we get interested, the more I like it," Heen said. "It spreads the philosophy and, like a religion, we need to proselytize."
And, as Heen said, if a Democrat is going to falter, "it is better they stumble in the primary, than in the general" against a Republican.
Both Lingle and Heen are looking for the real battle to be fought in the November general election rather than in the Sept. 23 primary.
Heen acknowledged that the GOP has a chance of "picking up a couple of House seats, and maybe a Senate seat," but said that the Legislature will remain Democratic.
Lingle added, "This election is going to be an important step toward a two-party system, with new candidates and new people in office."
