On Politics
BY RICHARD BORRECA
Fight commences
to gain majority
in the HouseWhile the speculation about the race for governor dominates the top of the political news, back down at ground level, the trench warfare also has started.
If the governorship is the big prize, the award for the best ensemble goes to whomever snags the votes in the 76-person state Legislature. Heeding the cliché that you can't beat someone with no one, both the Democrats and the Republicans are aggressively recruiting for the fall campaigns.
The Republicans want to double their impact by backing House and Senate candidates who also will help Linda Lingle become governor and are targeting districts that can bring out new Lingle voters.
At the same time, districts that were strong for Lingle four years ago are likely to be receptive to new Republican candidates. The party hopes for a dual-coattails effect so that in some districts, though a GOP candidate may or may not win, the synergy of being connected with the Lingle campaign will increase the Republican vote total.
So far the GOP has targeted 10 House districts. Today the GOP has 19 House seats and needs seven more votes to gain a majority and control of the House. The party is actively looking for candidates for other races, but with the condition that the candidates be willing to do the heavy lifting.
Operatives in the GOP say their candidates "are a bunch who are hungry to learn and ready for a mentor."
In comparison, they say, the Democrats are "a bunch of eagles and they can't be told anything."
While the airy levels of the Democratic Party may be a gathering of eagles, young state House members such as Brian Schatz also are out recruiting in order to keep the House in Democratic hands. The Makiki Democrat figures this is the time to knock off some of those new GOP members and increase the Democrats' ranks.
Unlike the GOP, the team being assembled by Schatz doesn't have a dual purpose except to win office and knock off Republicans.
Recruiters from both parties, however, agree that new candidates will have to bring their own supporters to the campaign. And while the GOP is ready to expand the number of targeted races, it will not start funneling money and expertise to them unless they see definite signs of organization and community support.
Unlike past years when more than a dozen races went uncontested, those low-flying House races may provide some of the best battles of 2002.
Richard Borreca writes on politics every Sunday in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached at 525-8630 or by e-mail at rborreca@starbulletin.com.
