Hawaii State Senator David Ige is formally kicking off his campaign for governor, with the Democratic Primary in less than a year's time. If your response to that sentence was "Who?", don't be too worried -- that's a pretty understandable reaction.
However, don't be so quick to dismiss Mr. Ige. He's smart, dedicated, and has loads of experience. He first got elected to the State House in 1986 and then to the State Senate in 1994. He's chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, meaning he has direct say on how the state collects its taxes and writes its checks. Before entering politics, Ige was an engineer with GTE HawaiianTel and got his MBA from the University of Hawaii.
So far, he's the only declared challenger, Democratic or Republican, to Governor Neil Abercrombie. The incumbent is obviously better known and better funded. As of last reporting, the governor had about $2 million in cash on hand, whereas Senator Ige only had about $73,000. The contrast between the two doesn't stop there. While both have had long careers in Hawaii politics, Abercrombie left the State Capitol for Congress in 1986, the year Ige got elected. Abercrombie's specialty is bombast, Ige's specialty is budgeting.
Senator Ige is basically unknown outside of his district -- but that may not be a bad thing. Neil's honeymoon with the press did not last long, and he has clashed repeatedly with the legislature and his own cabinet. A recent Civil Beat/ TPM Polltracker poll found that his approval rating was underwater, with 48% of state residents disapproving of his performance and only 45% approving. While Abercrombie has lots of cash, flash, and bluster, it looks like Ige will try to present himself as the steadier, humbler, more inclusive alternative. He can highlight his competency and long career of public service and be a fresh start for the state.
So why choose to run now? Why not stick with a prime job in the legislature? Why try to primary the sitting governor of your own party? Ige answered those questions:
“As my family and I contemplated whether to run for governor, we spoke with many friends and neighbors. Through those conversations, I realized that people here in Hawaii are hungry for a governor they can believe in and trust.”
“The citizens of Hawaii continue to face serious issues. We need to strengthen and diversify our economy, improve education, and re-engineer government to better serve the people. It is time for real and enduring solutions to ensure that we are taking the right steps to create opportunities for our children and future generations.”
His campaign website (
http://www.davidige.org) is admittedly not the snazziest, but it is strangely refreshing. On the homepage, he makes a simple pledge with his guiding principles:
1. Be open and honest in our communication.
2. Be respectful of all people and points of view.
3. Do the right thing the right way.
This could be interesting. And even though most primaries are marked by vitriol and partisanship, this race is shaping up to be an honest and realistic discussion of who we want to govern our state. Stay tuned.
For a more complete profile of Senator Ige, please check out his official legislature page: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/...