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THE HOT LEGISLATIVE RACES
There could not be two more different people running for the 35th House of Representatives seat representing Pacific Palisades and Pearl City Highlands. Five-term incumbent
faces GOP newcomerDemocratic incumbent Noboru "Nobu" Yonamine, whose more than 30-year public career included several stints on the Board of Education before joining the Legislature, is up against GOP challenger Chris Hart Kessell, who is seeking public office for the first time.
Yonamine, 65, said that if reelected to a sixth two-year term, his focus will continue to be on education initiatives. Key in the upcoming Legislature will be an educational accountability bill that will set performance standards for public school teachers, he said.
Such a program has to be "fair and equitable," he said, not just for the teachers, but for parents and administrators.
A second objective is to continue monitoring to ensure the Felix consent decree is being followed, Yonamine said.
"We need to make sure that a student who is identified and diagnosed will get appropriate care within 30 days," he said.
Kessell, 36, said he is running to "offer people a choice" and readily acknowledged that he is not politically experienced.
"I think that I can bring a lot of energy and new ideas to the community," he said.
He said he wants to bring the community together to become involved in such activities as neighborhood watches, community clean-ups and programs for seniors and youths.
Kessell said he also wants to put up community suggestion boxes in key gathering places in his district because government needs to be more accessible to its citizens.
"We need more community interaction in the decisions that are made at the Legislature," he said.
Gordon Y.K. Pang, Star-Bulletin
Chris Hart Kessell (R) HOUSE DISTRICT 35
Pearl City Highlands, Pacific Palisades
Occupation: Freelance advertising executive
Background: Former radio general manager and personality
Noboru 'Nobu' Yonamine (D)
Occupation: Legislator
Background: Retired social worker; former member, state Board of Education
Rep. Roy Takumi, who survived another close Democratic primary with attorney Alex Sonson, must now get past GOP challenger John Nuusa if he is to win re-election to his fifth term in the House representing areas of Pearl City and Waipahu. Incumbent: Cut
drug costs
Challenger:
Cut state taxesTakumi said if re-elected he would like to lower the cost of pharmaceutical drugs, require public contractors to raise wages for their employees and take care of local issues.
Takumi wants to get air conditioners for the portables at August Ahrens School and ensure the relocation of a controversial sex-offender treatment facility at the old Waimano Training School within the next two years.
"It will require funding," he said.
Beautifying Waipahu, improving the economy, job training for welfare recipients and helping the disadvantaged and the elderly are some of the issues Republican candidate John Nuusa said he will focus on if elected.
Decreasing state taxes and creating a business zone away from residential areas are also concerns. "It's like we're living door-to-door with the companies," said Nuusa, a Waipahu resident.
Nuusa ran against Takumi two years ago and lost by more than 3,500 votes. However he remained hopeful about the upcoming election.
Nuusa will be going door-to-door in his district presenting his ideas to residents.
As for Takumi, he is confident about the upcoming election and will continue to hold signs and send letters to voters stating his accomplishments.
Rosemarie Bernardo, Star-Bulletin
John Nuusa (R) HOUSE DISTRICT 36
Pearl City, Waipahu
Occupation: Self-employed
Background: Secretary, Samoan Methodist Church in Ewa Beach
Roy Takumi (D)
Occupation: Communications specialist
Background: Chairman, Ocean Recreation & Marine Resources Committee
Starbulletin.com Election Results
State Office of Elections
