Waipahu gone wild
The buzz around the 18th District Senate race started more than a year ago when Rep. Alex Sonson (D-35th) first announced his plans to challenge Sen. Clarence Nishihara (D-18th) for his seat. It’s one of just a handful of races statewide in which a winner will be decided following the primary, since both candidates are members of the same party.
“I’m the better candidate,” said Sonson, who was elected to the House in 2002. “I have more experience and I know the community. I grew up here as an immigrant and I understand the challenges that people face.”
Sonson said if elected he would prioritize strengthening job-and home-security for residents struggling with the economic downturn. He also wants to help people better transition off of welfare. Sonson said he’s most proud of some of the work he’s done with labor unions to save small businesses money and raise employees’ pay. He didn’t mention the alleged 2004 ethics violation that had the state Supreme Court suspend him from his Waipahu law practice for three months.
Nishihara, who has been in office since 2004, said Sonson may have been elected two years earlier, but that being in the House and Senate are different enough that Nishihara is more experienced and better suited for the job.
“He’s got six years and I’ve got four, but I’ve got four in the Senate,” Nishihara said. “I have worked to build relationships. I have spent a lot of time getting to know people and they know me.”
He said he is most proud of a bill he helped pass that aided in the wake of Aloha Airlines’ bankruptcy.
“We allowed for special emergency funding which, when Aloha went belly up, could be used to get people home,” he said. “Tourists and residents would have both been stuck, trying to get to or leave the island.”
As the chair of the Senate Committee on Tourism and Governmental Operations, Nishihara said he plans to focus on appropriating enough funds for a more effective marketing strategy to expand Hawai’i’s cultural draw and boost tourism. He said he also wants to work with the police to increase drug patrols in problem areas.
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