Most of the eight state Senate incumbents who are uncontested in their races this fall have stockpiled tens of thousands of dollars, which may have scared off any possible challengers. [CAMPAIGN SPENDING REPORTS]
Free-ride senators
sitting prettySen. Cal Kawamoto has a
hefty war chest and no opponentBy Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.comFor example, state Senate Transportation Chairman Cal Kawamoto raised $53,485 and spent $19,777 during the reporting period of Jan. 1 to June 30, according to state campaign spending reports. Overall, the senator from Waipahu, who in recent years found himself at the center of controversial legislative issues such as traffic camera vans and a statewide fireworks ban, has a $265,276 campaign war chest but no opponent to spend it against.
"They like what they see, and they support what they like," Kawamoto said of the contributions to his campaign. "That's the only reason I can think of."
Yesterday was the deadline for candidates to file their campaign spending reports.
Among other legislators running unopposed, Senate President Robert Bunda of Wahiawa has a $90,928 cash balance and Senate Education Chairman Norman Sakamoto has $119,970.
A few of the senators with contested races also have large campaign balances, like Democrat senators Colleen Hanabusa of Waianae and Ron Menor of Mililani.
Hanabusa boasts a $115,089 war chest, compared to Republican challenger Dickyj Johnson, who posted a negative balance of $205 in his campaign for the Waianae Senate seat.
Menor has $117,300 available in his re-election bid for the Mililani Senate seat. Challenger Alex Mogilewicz, a Republican, has just $405.
Meanwhile, others vying for a Senate seat have far less money and tougher campaigns.
State Rep. Willie Espero of Ewa Beach is making a run for a newly reapportioned Senate district against fellow Democrat and Ewa community leader Tesha Malama.
Malama, however, has raised four times as much as Espero during this reporting period, $38,127 to $8,125, and has a $6,987 balance to Espero's $3,967.
Espero said yesterday he is neither surprised nor worried by Malama's campaign spending report and hopes to make up ground in the next few months.
"I would expect as a newcomer, you need to get out there more," Espero said of his challenger.
In the state House, incumbent Barbara Marumoto (R) and former legislator Brian Yamane (D) are in a fight for a newly reapportioned Waialae Iki district.
Marumoto has raised $27,689 during this period and has a balance of $24,818. Yamane, who lost his re-election bid in 2000, did not raise any money during this period but has $17,584 remaining in his campaign.