Republicans
upbeat as they
go into convention

Led by Linda Lingle, the
party is aiming for control
of the House and
the governorship

McDermott to challenge Mink

By Richard Borreca
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii's Republicans open a three-day state convention today with dreams of historic victories in the 2002 elections.

The convention gets under way today at the Outrigger Wailea Maui. The official business will be to elect party leaders for the next year, but the real business will be the launching of dozens of campaigns for the 2002 elections.

Led by former Maui Mayor Linda Lingle, who is expected to be re-elected GOP chairwoman, the Republicans think it is not unreasonable to aim for control of both the state House and the governorship next year.

Republicans who in previous conventions insisted on fights over controversial issues such as abortion and school prayer now are concentrating on winning elections.

"This will be a mellow convention," predicted Rep. Barbara Marumoto (R, Kahala).

Micah Kane, GOP executive director, said Lingle was able to both "redefine our party and broaden our party's appeal by bringing in new, young leadership."

Hawaii's Republican Party, which has not run the House, Senate or governor's office since 1959, has been reshaped by Lingle, who lost a close race for governor in 1998.

"The party is very comfortable with her. She is recognized as the Republican who won more votes than any other Republican in the history of Hawaii," Rep. Galen Fox (R, Waikiki), House GOP leader, said. "She excites people, and she represents change in a nonthreatening, friendly way."

"Linda allowed the party to talk about issues important to the people, like education and the economy," Kane said.

Lingle's run for governor was helped by, but was never really part of, the local Republican establishment. When she ran, many supporters were independents or disenchanted Democrats.

"Many of her supporters had pure Democratic pedigrees," says Sen. Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai), Senate GOP leader.

While Lingle's supporters worked only for Lingle in 1998, they turned out in force in 2000 to help with state House elections, and the GOP won 19 out of 51 seats, the most since statehood.

"They are absolutely loyal to Linda, and they helped in the House campaigns," Slom said.

It was Lingle's idea to stress building a grass-roots organization House district by House district, says Slom, who adds that while it was not a complete success, "The criticism was erased when you had a net gain of House seats."

"She saw an opportunity, and those who supported her said, 'Let's put all our eggs there,' and it paid off," Slom said.

"If she had lost seats, you would see more visible criticism and maybe a challenge for the chairmanship," he added.

But Lingle was successful, and she wants to extend the coordinated-campaign idea straight through from the governor's race down to the state House.

"It is going to be exciting," Lingle said. "The statewide campaign will be extremely coordinated."

Party volunteers who were with her in 1998 and then helped organize the GOP will return to her 2002 campaign, and new volunteers will help run the party, she said.

"We are starting to see this branching out, this expansion, because you can't use the same people for everything. You can't accomplish your goals unless there is growth," Lingle said.

Lingle will start her campaign for governor in June with a statewide series of fund-raising rallies on all the neighbor islands and ending with an Oahu fund-raiser for several thousand.

The convention is expected to have about 300 delegates, half of last year's record-setting attendance at the convention in Waikiki. Party officials said neighbor island travel usually cuts down the number of delegates attending a convention.

The featured speaker will be Ruben Barrales, director of intergovernmental affairs and assistant to President George W. Bush. Barrales is the liaison between Bush and the state governors and legislators.

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McDermott throws hat
in ring against Mink

Star-Bulletin staff

Republican Rep. Bob McDermott will run for Congress next year, challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink.

McDermott, 37, was first elected to the state House from the Aliamanu-to-Halawa Valley district in 1996. He is a former Marine Corps officer and has a master's degree in business from Chaminade University of Honolulu.

McDermott said he wanted to announce his campaign before the start of the 2001 GOP state convention, which starts today on Maui. Also he said he needs an early start to raise the money to run in the second congressional district, which includes rural Oahu and the neighbor islands.

"I am in this for real and am starting early because you have to raise a ton of money," he said.

GOP House leaders had asked McDermott not to run for higher office next year, saying that it would be a difficult campaign against a veteran Democrat, but McDermott said he has been planning a congressional campaign and thinks he can win.

GOP Chairwoman Linda Lingle said she wished him well.

"Bob has had his heart set on it, and he has shown he can be effective in areas of importance to the public, such as education," Lingle said.