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Politics Wednesday
23Jan
Kenoi picking up union edorsements
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 06:31PM 
Puna's Billy Kenoi garnered another early union endorsement this week to go with his recent boost from the UPW.
The Hawaii Firefighters Association jumped out early in support of Kenoi for mayor. Last week the UPW sent out a press release and photo (above) heralding its support for Kenoi. Other large unions such as HGEA, ILWU and SHOPO are still considering their choices.
Inouye used to get big union support like that but Kenoi has been working hard to impress people since he quit the mayor's office to run. One East Hawaii union official who's met Kenoi several of times called him "an exciting candidate."
And even though the mayor's race is non-partisan, it doesn't help a Democrat with the party faithful when State Sen. Sam Slom lavishes praise on you. Slom is one of few Republicans left in the Legislature and executive director of the private Small Business Hawaii. Following the 2007 Legislative session, Slom's SBH newsletter characteristically lambasted the Legislature, Democrats and unions alike but reserved special praise for a few, including Sen. Lorraine Inouye:
Former Senate President Robert Bunda, earned more respect for his independent and reasoned votes this session, joined by Lorraine Inouye, ... .
That kind of stuff doesn't go unnoticed. You'll note the "former" tag before Bunda's name, which is telling.
Update on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 10:53AM by
Hunter Bishop
Hunter Bishop
This post was corrected to reflect that HGEA has not yet endorsed a candidate for mayor. Read the correction post.
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Reader Comments (9)
Can they change their mind?
Before the filing deadline?
There are months of time for another person to up the ante?
Is there no discussion for union membership to consider?
I went to the "Puna's Billy" web site and I couldn't find any information about what this popular fella is promising to do as Mayor that has these Unions all happy happy.
But then when I think about it I guess if he promises to leave things as they is it should be all the same.
Don't fix what you cant afford to break.
"Don't fix what you cant afford to break."
??
If, as Mr. Kenoi says, he will just pick up where Mr. Kim leaves off, then you got "Still broken, never fixed, so why break it more?" .
Since you asked...
Unions in Hawaii represent a major factor- a virtual monopoly in the block vote for mayoral candidates. When you consider that the union leadership have name addresses and access to 40% of the voting public- its an major advantage for the coordinated campaign.
For a candidate to stand on a unified PLAN instead of a union PAC he would have to be able to "break" ties with union mandates and run on issues that would "fix" problems our economy faces.
You might be more accurate is using past tense.
Unions, for better or worse, used to be powerful here.
The demographics of the electorate have transformed radically in the past twenty years, with the past 5 to 10 being an extreme shift.
Some recent examples on the Council that have tapped into this change: Definitely Emily Naeole and Pete Hoffmann; others could include Ford and Pilago.
Ms. Naeole's incumbent-opponent (Gary Safarik) in 2006 completely dismissed any possibility that a shift had taken place; and, I would suggest, so did Fred Holschuh.
The times they have changed.
I fervently hope you are correct, sir.
While I agree with you I think the fact remains that union PAC deliver votes more surgically then a $20 dollar bill
Mixing up examples like: (you wrote: "Definitely Emily Naeole and Pete Hoffmann; others could include Ford and Pilago."
Makes me wonder what your point is?
Safarik and Holschuh lost the popular vote because they were coming across as pompous attunement deficit campaigners.
You wont see either of them in any others brochures.
What I wrote is a timeless axiom.....
Unions in Hawaii represent a major factor- a virtual monopoly in the block vote for mayoral candidates. When you consider that the union leadership have name addresses and access to 40% of the voting public- its a major advantage for the coordinated campaign.
For a candidate to stand on a unified PLAN instead of a union PAC he would have to be able to "break" ties with union mandates and run on issues that would "fix" problems our economy faces.
You need to get out more.
Aloha.
Unless you enter with the advantage of "The Voice Kim" who
was a mayoral candidate while in civil defense just as he is a civil defense candidate while mayor.
Get out more?
Obviously you seem to have an (intended and unfair) advantage, in that you know my name and are ashamed to reveal your own.
However, I have an actual advantage in that I do get out more.
You said it, Safarik and Holschuh got bounced for nonperformance -- even though they had the upper hand in union endorsements.
That's my point: "Little Harry" Kenoi, nor the original, have any more to show for performance than did Gary and the good doctor.