[ HONOLULU CITY COUNCIL ]
KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Council District 4 candidate Bob Fishman and his supporters watched election coverage last night at his campaign headquarters. Fishman will face Charles Djou in the general election.
It looks like there will be two-person showdowns this November for six of the nine Honolulu City Council seats. Only the three incumbents seeking re-election -- Romy Cachola, Ann Kobayashi and Gary Okino -- were able to muster out the required "50 percent plus one vote" plurality necessary to pull out a "first special election" victory. 6 of 9 races head to
November showdownsOnly Romy Cachola, Gary Okino
Waiting for results: Djou, Fishman ready
and Ann Kobayashi win outrightBy Gordon Y.K. Pang
gpang@starbulletin.comIntriguing matchups abound elsewhere in Honolulu Council races where the only trend seemed to be that voters tended to gravitate toward candidates with familiar names.
For instance, in District 4 (Hawaii Kai to Ala Moana), it appeared that former state Rep. Charles Djou and former city Managing Director Bob Fishman would be going head to head in November. Djou, the Republican, and Fishman, the Democrat, said they look forward to pointing out their own strengths in the coming weeks.
Another matchup sure to generate interest will be in the 3rd District (Kaneohe to Waimanalo), where former television journalist Barbara Marshall was holding a thin lead over former state Sen. Stan Koki.
In District 9 (Mililani to Makakilo), state Rep. Nestor Garcia was running ahead of Board of Education member Michael Nakamura, the former police chief, but did not appear to have enough to pull out an outright win last night.
KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM
From left, Charles Djou, his wife, Stacey Kawasaki Djou, and son Nicholas Kawasaki, 9, awaited the first printout last night at Djou's campaign headquarters.
The 2nd District (Mililani Mauka to Kaneohe) race will be a face-off between book author and Wahiawa Neighborhood Board Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz, who finished first last night, and former state Sen. Gerry Hagino.
Several races for second place went down to the wire.
In District 1 (Waianae Coast to Ewa), traditional-marriage advocate Mike Gabbard was way ahead after the third printout. He appeared to be headed for a runoff with Pam Witty-Oakland, budget analyst and aide to outgoing Council Chairman John DeSoto, however the tally was not final because all absentee ballots had not been counted as of late last night. Union official John Kaopua, who appeared to be finishing a close third, said he would support Witty-Oakland against Gabbard.
State Sen. Rod Tam was outpacing all candidates in the District 6 (Makiki to Kalihi) seat, while Makiki Neighborhood Board Chairman John Steelquist appeared to be eking out a second-place finish, and the right to face Tam, over former state Sen. Dennis Nakasato.
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KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM
The mood at Honolulu City Council candidate Bob Fishman's headquarters was not as upbeat as at Charles Djou's site, but he was looking forward to a runoff.
State Rep. Charles Djou, his family and about 20 supporters gave a cheer from their encampment at Antonio's New York Pizzeria in Kahala last night as early results were broadcast showing Djou ahead. Waiting for results:
Djou and Fishman
ready for runoffBy Gordon Y.K. Pang
gpang@starbulletin.comDjou and former city Managing Director Bob Fishman were battling to break out of a crowded field of Honolulu City Council 4th District seat candidates for a runoff in the general election.
The mood was also boisterous at Fishman's headquarters on 11th Avenue, where about 50 supporters had gathered.
Fishman said he believed his campaign was the "least endowed" of the four of five candidates in the race who filed campaign spending reports.
Djou said he felt Fishman was the acknowledged front-runner. His camp's strategy was to just make it to the general, he said.
But Fishman said he never felt like the front-runner and that his strategy was to head into a runoff with Djou.
"We're just delighted we made the mark," he said.
Both men said they are looking forward to distinguishing themselves from each other during the general election campaign. Djou said he believes he represents a change toward integrity at City Hall. Fishman said he will continue to tout his three decades as an administrator.
Attorney Mike Abe, hotel catering executive Cameron Heen and city worker Terrence Teruya were also in the District 4 race.
Abe spent more than $70,000 of his own money on the campaign, while Heen, the son and grandson of former councilmen, quit his job and walked door to door through nearly 80 percent of the district.
