2 Waihees take on
political campaigns

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By Crystal Kua
ckua@starbulletin.com

There will be two candidates with the last name Waihee hitting the campaign trail this year -- and neither is the former governor.

Jennifer Waihee, the daughter of former Gov. John Waihee III, plans to run for the 27th District state House seat being vacated by Rep. Lei Ahu Isa, the Democrat-turned-Republican who will be running for a newly reapportioned Senate seat.

"I thought rather than spending my time criticizing government, maybe it would be better to channel all of that to making a change in government," Jennifer Waihee said yesterday after the Democratic Convention.

She is among a list of new candidates the Democratic Party is fielding to challenge Republicans during the fall elections.

Jennifer Waihee faces a primary challenge from Democrat Lincoln Jacobe, a Kalihi-Palama Neighborhood Board member.

Democratic Party Chairwoman Lorraine Akiba said the crop of new party candidates is good.

"Although our primaries are contested, people are very friendly. We're very unified, and we're going to run a clean, good campaign, and at the end of the day, whoever's the winner is going to meet the Republican in the general (election)," Akiba said.

Other Democratic challengers for House seats include Tommy Waters and Ikaika Anderson running for the seat held by Rep. Joe Gomes (R, Waimanalo); Scott Nishimoto trying to regain Democratic control of the Kaimuki-Kapahulu seat held by Republican Rep. Mindy Jaffe; and Maile Shimabukuro, who will try to unseat GOP Rep. Emily Auwae in Makaha and Waianae.

Restaurant lobbyist Pat McCain and businesswoman Cindy Rasmussen also are vying for the Senate seat Ahu Isa is seeking.

If elected, Jennifer and her brother John Waihee IV, who is seeking re-election as an Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee, could make history as the first son and daughter of a former Hawaii state governor to hold public office at the same time.

Jennifer Waihee said that her brother advised her to work hard and canvas her district a lot. Her last name could be an asset.

Her brother said that he now has a record to help him in his OHA re-election bid.

"I was hoping one of them would be normal," chuckled their father, the two-term Democratic governor and former lieutenant governor. He said his advice to his children was that they should run only if they are committed to their districts and the offices they seek.

"They're not only committed, they seem to be passionate about what they believe ought to be done," Waihee said.

Where does that passion come from? "I don't know," he said with a smile, "but probably their mother."