CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Lt. Gov. James Aiona held a press conference as acting governor earlier this month.

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Aiona remains focused
on backstopping Lingle

As acting governor, he expresses
little interest in the top job

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona recently wrapped up 10 days as Hawaii's acting governor, but the 50-year-old first-time politician says he is not sure he wants to run for governor.

In a 45-minute interview, Aiona discussed his plans and his performance so far.

"Right now, I am focused on what we need to do right now. I have no other plans. I don't think that far ahead. Right now, I am focused on what I am doing here," Aiona said while sitting in his fifth-floor state Capitol office.

The office has been home to three lieutenant governors who became governor. Two others ran unsuccessfully for governor, and the position is considered a natural steppingstone to higher office, but Aiona, a former circuit judge, said he is not sure.

Asked if he would like to be governor, Aiona, a star high school and college athlete, doesn't swing at the pitch.

"I don't give it any thought. If it is like what I am doing now, I guess I would. I just don't give it any thought."

His family, Aiona added, comes first, and he is concerned about the adjustments he has had to make.

"When I became lieutenant governor, it was a big adjustment. I needed to make more public appearances. My life was open to the public. If there is anything I am struggling with, it is trying to find that nice happy medium with my family."

Aiona won his first attempt at elected office when he beat Dalton Tanonaka in the 2002 Republican primary by 8,280 votes and then went on with Lingle to win the general election.

As lieutenant governor, Aiona's main task has been fighting drug abuse. Aiona, the first judge of the Hawaii drug courts, was picked by Lingle to lead the state's crystal methamphetamine anti-drug program.

Aiona held a drug summit and meetings across the state in 2003 and came up with a plan of attack, which was criticized by the Legislature.

"I think he sort of dropped the ball on that one," said Sen. Colleen Hanabusa (D, Nanakuli-Makua), who headed up the Legislature's drug task force.

"The most disappointing part was, he was going to study it for a year, and we waited and waited for a plan and then there didn't seem to be anything there, except to cut the programs that we had already funded. They didn't put enough into education or early intervention," Hanabusa said.

Former state Sen. Bob Nakata, now pastor of the Kahaluu Unity Methodist Church and an early organizer of demonstrations against the "ice" epidemic, was also critical.

"I am still waiting to see the results. I was disappointed that the state administration didn't really get very active," Nakata said. "I didn't feel they were as aggressive as they could be."

But he has been encouraged by Aiona's work with children and encouraging them not to use alcohol, tobacco or drugs.

"What I see him doing now is a step in the right direction," Nakata said.

"We need to talk to each other because the whole area of problems -- drugs, mental health and homelessness -- is all related," Nakata added.

University of Hawaii political scientist Neal Milner noted that Aiona's initial interest in the drug war seems to have waned.

"I think the drug issue was a test for him and that he didn't do very well accomplishing it," Milner said.

But Republican Rep. Galen Fox said Aiona's drug policy has been on target.

"He is trying to make sure the money goes to programs that are effective. There is far too little emphasis on productivity and achievement in government," Fox said.

Aiona said the war on drugs is being fought at the same intensity.

"We have not dropped off one bit," he said.

"The Legislature's package was something we wanted to work more closely with. We tried, but it did not hinder our own plans or strategy.

"We have one policy. We need prevention, treatment and law enforcement," Aiona said.

To prove his point, Aiona said he recently attended graduation ceremonies for an anti-drug program at Jarrett Intermediate School that he hopes will be a pilot for drug programs in all the public schools.

"We have said from day one that education and prevention is where we need to be, and we have come through on this," Aiona said.

Observers are looking for signs that Aiona is his own lieutenant governor.

Former Gov. and Lt. Gov. Ben Cayetano says Aiona is affable but appears to be stage-managed by Lingle and her handlers.

"Since Aiona's public statements are done through Lingle's public relations people, I think there is a perception that Aiona is not really his own person and that his actions are carefully scripted by Lingle's office," Cayetano said.

"Aiona hasn't really had the chance to break out and show his independence. Surely, he does not agree with Lingle on everything, does he?" Cayetano asked.

Milner added that lieutenant governors, being second in command, have to decide how independent they can be. "Part of it is how much you want to break out and how good you are at it.

"But it is clear he hasn't broken out. It is also not clear that he has an independent base of support or that he is highly visible in the community in any serious political way," Milner said.

Aiona said he found in discussions with past lieutenant governors that "their experiences were not very nice."

"They said they were isolated and they didn't have much input. They really weren't on their own," Aiona said.

In contrast, Aiona pointed to the regular Monday lunches he has with Lingle as a sign of his inclusion in the administration.

"Our relationship is unbelievable. She has been so inclusive. I feel that we are a team -- two heads for one office," Aiona said.

But, Aiona noted, he recognizes that the governor has the final say.

"It is the governor who makes the decision when it comes to the budget, when it comes to vetoes, when it comes to administrative rules," Aiona said. "I do have an opportunity to engage, but as lieutenant governor you are not the leader. That is just the way it is."