Democratic legislator
Lei Ahu Isa
goes to GOP

The 27th District representative
will run for the state Senate
as a Republican this fall

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By Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.com

Democratic Rep. Lei Ahu Isa will run for the state Senate this fall as a Republican.

After postponing the decision to switch political parties during the last weeks of the Legislature, Ahu Isa said she never felt welcome by the Democrats and would become a Republican.

Ahu Isa, 58, is a three-term representative from the 27th District, representing Alewa Heights, Kapalama Heights and Nuuanu.

"I helped the Democratic Party a lot. I was a good girl and I went along with leadership," she said.

"Then the governor comes out and says even if a Republican had won my seat, it wouldn't have made a bigger difference.

"That was the worst thing to say after I fought so hard to win my seat as a Democrat," Ahu Isa said.

"When I heard what he said, I thought, they don't even appreciate what I have done, and at the same time the Republicans are welcoming me with open arms," Ahu Isa said.

Micah Kane, Republican Party chairman, said Ahu Isa's decision is a big boost for the GOP.

"The Democrats are about centralized power. If you step out of line, you are going to get punished, and she was punished and ostracized for being an independent thinker," Kane said.

Lorraine Akiba, Democratic Party chairwoman, said she had not talked yet with Ahu Isa but warned that if she does leave the party, she will find that the Democrats are "more in line with her values and viewpoints."

Ahu Isa, however, said she had disagreed with the Democratic majority over bills to help small business.

"I voted against assisted suicide. I am pro-life. I pushed through tax incentives, not regulation, and that is more in line with the Republican Party," Ahu Isa said.

"We are continuing to leverage the future of our children by not controlling the cost of government," Ahu Isa said.

She is expected to have opposition in the GOP primary, so Kane said the party would not support her in the primary.

But she said she made up her mind to become a Republican after talking with Bob Awana, campaign manager for GOP gubernatorial candidate Linda Lingle.

"Linda told them after they lost, we are either going to lay down and die or start a brand-new party.

"It was hard, but I think they did it with new people," she said.

"When I looked at the Republicans 20 years ago, it was all white, very snooty with a superiority attitude towards locals. I couldn't agree with that and I joined the Democrats," Ahu Isa said.

Now, she pointed out, five of her friends have quit the Democrats to work on the campaign of GOP lieutenant governor candidate Dalton Tanonaka.

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