Radio star eyes
Dem leadershipA former state House candidate
confirms he wants the party post
Island radio and television personality Brickwood Galuteria plans to run for chairman of the state Democratic Party.
Galuteria, 48, declined to discuss his candidacy yesterday, but Alex Santiago, acting party chairman, confirmed that Galuteria is planning to run.
The deadline for nominations for the chairmanship is Saturday, according to Santiago.
Delegates to the Democratic state convention, to be held May 28-30 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, will vote for a new chairman.
One other person has expressed an interest in running, but Santiago said the other possible candidate has asked not to be identified.
When asked about his candidacy, Galuteria said that "every good Democrat should consider running for the chair of the Democratic Party."
"There are other people involved who are running, I would think, so I don't want to have an advantage over them. I don't think it is fair, that's why I don't want to say anything at this time," Galuteria said.
Galuteria ran unsuccessfully for the state House in 1988 and has helped in several Democratic campaigns, he said.
"Public service is a noble career choice," Galuteria said.
Veteran state Democratic Rep. Joe Souki welcomed Galuteria's candidacy.
"He is well known, he is an attractive guy and he is what the party needs," Souki said.
Galuteria is the morning host on radio station KINE-FM 105. He is also a singer and host of the KHON-TV cooking show "Hawaii's Kitchen."
If he wins the chairmanship, Souki and Santiago said Galuteria will have a challenging job.
Souki contends that the party has had to rely on elected leaders in the Legislature to raise money, causing the legislators to feel they own the party.
"If the party is weak, the Legislature's leaders take it on themselves to be the party," Souki said.
State House Democrats have already held a fund-raiser for the party, and the Senate is planning another.
"The Senate president and the speaker of the House consider themselves to be the party chairmen," Souki said. "So the party chairman will have a unique challenge to compete with Democratic leadership."
Santiago, who took over the chairmanship last year after Lorraine Akiba resigned, agreed that the position is one of the more difficult in Hawaii politics.
Social worker Santiago said that as a former state representative, he understands the interest of politicians in the party.
"But there are challenges that go beyond the elected officials. They are not the be-all and the end-all of the party. The party goes much farther," Santiago said.
He added that he had been asked to stay on and run for the chairmanship but declined.
While he was acting party chairman, Santiago said the party registered several thousand new voters and was able to organize a database of party members and donors.
"We will be turning over a pretty solid organization," he said. "I will sit down with both or all of the candidates prior to the convention to make sure they are fully appraised of all the work we put in and the tremendous effort done by party volunteers."