Hirono and Lingle say It has happened only once before: Sixteen years ago, two women faced off for governor in Nebraska. Today, Hawaii repeats the rare event with Republican Linda Lingle opposing Democratic Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono.
gender is irrelevant
in governor’s race
Voters will be picking a
woman for Hawaii's governor
on Nov. 5, no matter whatBy Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.comAlong the political way, both women have had to forge their own campaigns in an arena dominated by men. The issue of voting for a woman is irrelevant, they say, because voters will be picking a woman for governor on Nov. 5, no matter what.
But both Hirono and Lingle acknowledge they are paving a new road in Hawaii politics.
Lingle came at her position after being Maui mayor and leading the Republican Party in Hawaii after losing the governor's race to incumbent Gov. Ben Cayetano in 1998.
Hirono won her spot with a 2,603-vote victory over fellow Democrat Rep. Ed Case in the primary.
After 22 years as a veteran of the state Capitol, she is the fourth Democratic lieutenant governor since 1974 to have won the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Hirono notes there have only been 12 women governors elected on their own in the history of the nation. "I think that is telling. It is changing, but not very fast," Hirono says.
In 1986 in Nebraska, Republican Kay Orr ran against Democrat Helen Boosalis, but the candidates found that the national media covered the race only as a "historic race" between two women.
This focus on gender prompted Orr to comment that the contest was "no bake-off," according to reports at the time.
Orr won the election.
On a national level, 19 women have served as governor of a state, 12 have been elected on their own -- that is without replacing a husband in office.
Hirono is one of 17 women lieutenant governors in office this year, according to the Center for American Women and Politics.
Women still are not represented equally in any part of American politics.
Among the nation's 100 largest cities, 15 today have women mayors. State Sen. Colleen Hanabusa (D, Waianae) is one of only two women senate vice presidents in state Legislatures.
One woman serves as a Senate president and one as a speaker of a state House.
Lingle notes that the number of women governors now in office, which stands at an all time high of five, will increase as women work their way up the political ladder.
"Candidates tend to move up, they just don't pop up and run. The more women mayors, or Senate presidents or House speakers, then you will have more women running for governor," Lingle said.
Hirono also thinks the trend will grow.
"If more women are elected, then the reality will hit people in the face, that yes, these women are running companies, they are running government and so you can not continue to hold on to these notions," Hirono said.
Women candidates, Hirono said, especially those running for higher office must prove themselves capable.
"They need to show they understand financial issues, that they can be leaders. When it comes to running for governor there are these differences, these perceptions," Hirono said.
Lingle said: "I know women are going to be judged by how I perform on the job, so I have always felt an obligation to do a superior job."
Part of the gender difference in politics, women leaders say, is that women voters judge women candidates differently.
"Women are the harshest critics of women," Hanabusa said. "For some reason, we women tend to hold women who are going to represent us and who have made it in this male-dominated hierarchy to a standard where you almost have to be better than your male counterparts."
Other successful women politicians, such as Sen. Donna Kim (D, Fort Shafter, Aiea), who has been in the state House and City Council before winning a Senate seat two years ago, says being a woman in politics can be an advantage.
"Being a woman, especially if there are many men in the field, you can be the one who stands out," Kim said. "For some, it may be harder to win the women's vote, but I think professional women who work with men, they will have a higher respect for women doing the same thing.
"In other words, I like strong, tough women, so if I see someone out there taking stands, that is the kind of person I would like to support, because it is my personality, too," Kim added.
Lingle also says that being a woman candidate can help.
"I have always felt that women have been proud to have me run, I get a really good feeling out there from women in general," she said.
