ASSOCIATED PRESS
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mazie Hirono, right, reacted to a question during her debate with Republican candidate Linda Lingle last night. The debate, held at KHET and broadcast statewide on TV, cable and radio, was the only scheduled live, televised debate of the campaign.
Undecided listen closely Patrick Kahawaiolaa, a Hawaiian homes activist on the Big Island, supported Democrat Ed Case for governor before the primary election.
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By Crystal Kua
ckua@starbulletin.comBut after Case lost, Kahawaiolaa was undecided on his choice for governor and looked to last night's debate between Democrat Mazie Hirono and Republican Linda Lingle as one of the tools to help him make up his mind.
"I wanted to see what they would do with Hawaiian issues," Kahawaiolaa said.
With the native Hawaiian vote split, he was disappointed that none of the questions, whether posed by reporters, the public or the candidates themselves, touched on Hawaiian concerns.
"No more Hawaiians living in this state?" he asked.
Supporters of Case for governor, which included 72,000 primary election voters, are being courted by both Lingle and Hirono. Kahawaiolaa was among those looking for sparks in the debate to help them decide whom to vote for.
But Kahawaiolaa said neither candidate swayed him.
"I just cannot believe that no questions to address Hawaiian concerns and it leads me to believe that both parties do not believe native Hawaiians are a viable force politically -- that I got clearly."
Computer analyst Ernie Baclig of Kailua is of Filipino ancestry, another group that the candidates are targeting. He said the candidates brought up issues that would resonate with the Filipino community.
Lingle, for instance, said she was against same-sex marriage. Hirono said she would support the state ban on such marriages but she also supports equal rights for all people.
"The issue of domestic partners, I think Linda answered that very well ... and Hirono weighed in and said we should accept people's diversity," said Baclig. "That concept of the people of the same sex being married to each other -- that's a very foreign thing to Filipinos."
Baclig, who also supported Case in the primary, said he was for the candidate who best carries the banner of change, and that he was leaning toward Lingle.
Another Case supporter, former union leader and Democratic Party treasurer George Waialeale said that he was waiting for a lot more fireworks from the debate. "They were shadowboxing," Waialeale said.
He said that he wanted to hear more about their philosophies and how they are different. Waialeale said he thinks that Lingle will create "gridlock" at the state Capitol, unable to work with a Democratic majority Legislature.
"If your choice is between the two of them, I think Mazie is the better choice because at least we're going to have the tap running," Waialeale said.
Meanwhile, education was a prominent issue at the debate and rightfully so, according to Kailua Elementary teacher Mel Hanohano, a public school teacher for 14 years.
"I think it's important, I think it's a major issue that needs to be addressed," Hanohano said. "I'm very passionate of (education), love my students, I'm in love with my curriculum."
She said she heard a repeat of the 1998 race and the same empty promises.
She said she likes Lingle's idea of local elected school boards and said that Hirono had eight years to do something and she didn't.
