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GOP sends Lingle Hawaii Republicans started the fall campaign last night at their Lincoln Day fund-raising dinner, taking in $300,000 and warmly applauding outgoing party Chairwoman Linda Lingle, who will begin running for governor later this month.
off to race
She tells the crowd at a
fund-raiser that her campaign's
focus is on the economyGOP lawmakers cry foul at
Lincoln Day dinner conflictBy Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.comLingle told the crowd of 1,700 at the Sheraton-Waikiki dinner that she will resign on Feb. 19 to start campaigning full time for governor.
Micah Kane, executive director, will succeed Lingle as chairman.
Calling her campaign "a new beginning," Lingle stressed education and the economy as the top issues in the campaign.
Kane said the funds raised will go toward helping the party to support more candidates, especially state House members.
"We are making more and more people feel our goals are within reach, so more people are willing to donate," Kane said.
Lingle, who has raised about $450,000 for her campaign, is expected to operate with a budget of about $5 million.
Four years ago, when she fell 5,000 votes short of beating Gov. Ben Cayetano, Lingle had to stop running ads 10 days short of the election.
At the time, Lingle said she would not exceed what campaign spending restrictions imposed because she was accepting public funds. This year, Lingle said she is not restricting her spending.
For the past two months, Kane said, he and Lingle have been working on fund raising for the party, but after she starts her campaign, Lingle will move to raise funds for her own campaign.
In the primary election she is opposed by former state senator and former GOP Chairman John Carroll, who is running a low-budget campaign.
The biggest draw in the GOP primary in September is likely to be a battle for the lieutenant governor spot. So far, the only announced candidate is former CNN anchor and Honolulu newsman Dalton Tanonaka. At least two other candidates are expected to enter the primary race.
Kane said the combination of the strong grass-roots party Lingle is assembling plus the heated race for lieutenant governor will keep voters interested in the GOP primary.
Democrats, meanwhile, have at least three gubernatorial candidates: Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, former state Sen. D.G. "Andy" Anderson and state Rep. Ed Case.
In terms of fund raising, Harris is the early big winner, having collected a million dollars already.
Harris, however, has had his campaign investigated by the state Campaign Spending Commission, with several alleged violations turned over to the city prosecutor for criminal investigation. Harris has denied any improprieties.
State House Republicans accused leaders of the Democratic majority yesterday of engaging in "thuggish behavior" by forcing a night session to coincide with the GOP's Lincoln Day dinner fund-raiser last night. GOP lawmakers cry foul
at Lincoln Day dinner conflictBy Bruce Dunford
Associated PressMajority Leader Marcus Oshiro, however, said the Republicans have no one to blame but themselves when they used "ambush tactics" to recall two bills from committee, delaying the daily floor session.
He said the Republicans annual fund-raiser played no part in the decision to recess the House session until 7 p.m.
"It never crossed my mind," he said.
"They can go to their dinner. They have to make the choice -- stay at the Capitol and work, or go out and have dinner," said Oshiro (D, Wahiawa).
The daily House session would have concluded early yesterday afternoon if the Republicans had not moved to recall two bills from the Judiciary Committee, he said.
Minority Leader Galen Fox (R, Waikiki) "called for a recess to huddle with his troops, and they come in with this strategy to ambush us and throw out these two recall measures," Oshiro said.
"It's so ironic that now they are blaming me, but they were the move-ants on all these measures today," Oshiro said.
Minority Floor Leader Charles Djou said the delay was created by the Democrats.
Yesterday's jam-packed floor agenda and hearings agenda set by the majority after relatively light schedules on Wednesday and for today follow a pattern targeting the Lincoln Day dinner, Djou (R, Kaneohe) said.
"The reason is, the Democrats are playing games," he said. "Their parliamentary tactics are just completely petty."
Oshiro said the full schedule of hearings is needed to move bills to their final committee by next Friday.
Djou said the Republicans would boycott the evening session as well as the evening committee hearings on bills.
"The tickets are already bought," said Rep. Mark Moses (R, Makakilo). "Should we leave our wives or husbands standing there waiting for us?"
"I paid for dinner, and I want to go there, and I want to hear the speaker," Moses said.