Isle Dems seeing
numerous new facesDemocrats will hold their
convention this weekend without
the governor's patronage
For the first time in 42 years, Hawaii's majority Democrats will gather this weekend without the state's governor leading them into the convention.
With Republican Gov. Linda Lingle heading up the state administration, Democrats have lost a source of patronage that translated into ready workers for the party.
Democrats point out that in past conventions, many of the nearly 1,000 delegates were members of the state administration.
Democratic
Hawaii's Democrats will hold their biennial convention Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. Here's the schedule:
Convention
Friday
1 p.m.: Convention registration.2:30 p.m.: Convention opens with reports from committees, including the affirmative action, business and economic development, education, national and international affairs, and labor committees. Party Chairman Alex Santiago will also speak.
7 p.m.: Convention committees meet.
Saturday
11 a.m.: Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean addresses the convention.5 p.m.: Election of members of the state central committee, presidential electors and delegates to the national convention.
Sunday
8:30 a.m.: Announcement of Saturday election results. Election of national committeeman and committeewoman. Election of party chairman and speech by new chairman.11:30 a.m.: Rally of elected officials and candidates for office.
More information at www.hawaiidemocrats.org
The Democrats control the state Legislature, the congressional delegation and the nominally nonpartisan county councils.
"We think this is going to be the most open convention we have had in a long time," said Bart Dame, party activist and coordinator for delegates supporting U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
"In the past, exempt state employees -- I don't want to say it was a condition of their job -- but they were strongly encouraged to participate in the party and help control the party for the Democratic governor," Dame said.
Another longtime Democratic Party worker and former party officer, George Waialeale, reports seeing "a lot of new faces" at pre-convention rallies.
"Because we don't have the state administration, I think that is why there are a lot of new faces," Waialeale said. "I see a lot more Caucasian people. Some look like Republican defectors."
Indeed, Democrats claim that as support for President Bush and the war in Iraq sinks to new lows in public opinion polls, interest in their party in Hawaii is growing.
"It seems to me that the Democratic Party is alive and well," said Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa-Pupukea).
Two weeks ago, he and House Speaker Calvin Say hosted a fund-raiser for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, and sentiment was running strongly against Bush.
"I would say the mood is totally anti-Bush," Bunda said.
Say added: "A lot of Democrats are coming out because of the president. You hear a lot of sentiment against the war."
GOP Chairman Brennon Morioka scoffed at the Democrats' theory, saying they "are still searching for themselves."
"Just because you don't like one candidate makes it difficult for you to sustain interest," Morioka said. "People are joining the Republican Party because it is a commitment and a belief, not because they oppose somebody."
Hawaii's presidential primary preference poll held in February lured Democrats into the fray, and party leaders looked to the supporters of both Kucinich and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean to bring in fresh troops.
Hawaii Democrats split their delegations to the national convention with 16 representing Kerry, one for Dean and eight for Kucinich.
Jonathan Starr, the Maui Democratic Party chairman, said he has "two to three times as many members as before."
"Kucinich, Dean, and Kerry -- it is all one boom, it is anybody but Bush and (Vice President Dick) Cheney," Starr said.
The eight Hawaii Kucinich delegates join nine from Minnesota, five from Ohio and one from California to make up the entire Kucinich representation at the national convention to be held in July in Boston.
Kerry won 2,162 delegates out of a possible 4,322. Dean won only 170 delegates.
But Joshua Wisch, the Hawaii campaign coordinator for Dean, proved to be a valuable enough political player that the Democrats hired him to be the full-time organizer for the local Democrats' effort to elect more House members.
"He is going to be our point person for the coordinated campaign," Say said.
Appearing at the Hawaii convention will be failed presidential candidate Dean, who is scheduled to address the delegates Saturday. Dean will also appear at a round of fund-raisers.
Dean will host a reception for U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, an early Dean supporter, and hold a fund-raiser for the local Democratic Party.
BACK TO TOP |
Dems must pick
from 2 spirited rivals
Just months ago, Hawaii Democrats were struggling to find anyone to lead them, but this weekend they will be treated to a spirited campaign for party chairman.
Party newcomer Brickwood Galuteria, a radio and television personality, faces off against retired state worker Jimmy Toyama, a 20-year party veteran.
The winner will replace former state Rep. Alex Santiago, who was named by the party central committee to fill the vacancy created when Lorraine Akiba, the former state labor director, resigned in mid-term a year ago.
Both Galuteria and Toyama started their campaigns in the last 30 days.
Galuteria, who ran for the state House unsuccessfully in 1988, said he has talked to many of the state's influential Democrats and won their support.
Toyama said he is running to make the party more relevant to local Democrats and not just elected Democrats.
Cautioning that the Democratic Party shouldn't be defined by elected officials, Toyama is promising a party that "will have no special ties to the power structure."
Toyama, Oahu Democratic Party chairman, has been sending mailers to all of the nearly 1,000 delegates and is hoping to appeal to some of the independent groups in the party.
"The party has to become more relevant to the people, and in finding that meaning, we will get a new unity of party members and elected officials," Toyama said.
In contrast, Galuteria comes to the convention with the endorsement of Senate President Robert Bunda and House Speaker Calvin Say.
Galuteria also had early support from associates of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye that helped open doors for his candidacy. For instance, Linda Chu Takayama, an attorney, Inouye associate and former state insurance commissioner, helped set up meetings for Galuteria.
Now, Galuteria said he thinks his experience in radio and television can help the Democratic Party.
"In communications, I want to be sure the right and the left, the mauka and makai know what each is doing," he said. "My goal is to connect."
Leaders of some of the new groups of Democrats joining the party this year, such as the Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean supporters, have not taken a public position of support for either man.
