Governor’s Tomorrow's race for governor will be decided by ordinary voters, but the battle is also being fought by the forces of business and labor in Hawaii.
endorsements
show dramatic
business-labor rift
Endorsement list
Candidates trade final jabs
Tight race may boost turnout.
Voting.information
By Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.comThe two candidates almost evenly divide up the support, with Democrat Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono winning strong labor support and Republican Linda Lingle grabbing almost universal business support.
Both candidates add that they have also won over some troops from the opposing camps.
For instance, Lingle has got two labor unions: the police officers and the university professors. Hirono has also picked up strong support from environmental groups such as the Sierra Club. Hirono also won over the United Filipino Council, which represents more than 100 Filipino-American clubs and organizations.
"I am not a Johnny-come-lately. I have been working with them, raising money for the FilCom Center," Hirono said.
Lingle also sees her work with business during her eight years as mayor of Maui as crucial to her support.
"The fact that I am endorsed by the Maui Chamber, Maui Contractors, Maui Hotel Association -- they know me best and they say I did help with the economy. It is a strong statement," Lingle said.
But can either candidate govern the state without the support of both business and labor? Hirono says she plans to expand her support base if she wins.
"Some of her (Lingle's) endorsements, such as those from the retail industry and hotel -- those are industries that I have worked with for a long time," Hirono says.
Lingle, however, says she already has union support.
"We are getting half of the union household vote," Lingle said. "Also, almost all of the unions that supported her (Hirono) never spoke to me."
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>> Active Hawaii Women's Group For Hirono
>> AFL-CIO
>> American Women Presidents
>> Asian American Action Fund
>> Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers International Brotherhood of Lodge 627
>> Emily's List (a national women's rights organization)
>> Hawaii Building & Construction Trades AFL-CIO (14 construction trades)
>> Hawaii Carpenters Union
>> Hawaii Coalition of Conservation Voters
>> Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA)
>> Hawaii Nurses Association
>> Hawaii Teamsters & Allied Workers
>> Hawaii Women's Political Caucus
>> Hotel Workers Local 5
>> International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
>> IBEW Local 1357 & Local 1260
>> ILWU Local 142
>> International Union of Painters and All IUPAT, District Council 50
>> Iron Workers Union Local 625 and Local 803
>> Laborers' International Local 368
>> National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Chapter
>> Operating Engineers Local Union 3
>> Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local 221
>> Sheet Metal Workers International Local 293
>> Sierra Club
>> Associated Builders and Contractors -- Hawaii Chapter (ABC) For Lingle
>> Big Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce
>> Build PAC (Building Industry Association)
>> Filipino Physicians
>> Friends of the Firehouse Honolulu Fire Department Retirees Association
>> Hawaii Hotel Association
>> Hawaii Hotel Association -- Kauai Chapter
>> Hawaii Island Contractors Association
>> Hawaii Medical Association's Political Action Committee
>> Hawaii Restaurant Association
>> Hawaii Speech and Language Hearing Association's (HSHA) Political Action Committee
>> Hawaii Tribune Herald
>> The Honolulu Advertiser
>> Honolulu Star-Bulletin
>> Maui Chamber of Commerce
>> Maui Contractors Association (MCA)
>> Maui Hotel Association (MHA)
>> National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
>> State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO)
>> Unity House
>> University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA)
>> West Hawaii Today
