East Hawaii women who witnessed election results in a presidential race that included the first female nominee from a major political party expressed hopeful tones Tuesday night.
Lily Chow of Hilo said her religious beliefs always led her to be a person who thought a man should be the leader. But her perspective was colored by her own experience as a successful businesswoman. As the owner of a beauty shop, she thought she helped her husband and that neither he nor she ever tried to be better than the other.
“I think if our nation, between the Democrats and Republicans, could come to that conclusion, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in,” she said.
Thus, her perception of the election is now seen in the context of her own life experiences.
“I was kind of happy to think that I had lived long enough to see a race between a man and a woman,” Chow said.
Lorna Kahauolopua of Keaukaha has 15 grandchildren, including eight girls and seven boys. She watched the election closely.
“I didn’t envision it going this way,” she said after Donald Trump had achieved wins in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia, but the election hadn’t yet been called.
Three of her grandchildren serve in the U.S. Air Force in Japan, and she’s hopeful that the new president will support the military.
“I’m hoping that there are some things that Hillary (Clinton) had that he could use,” she said. “I hope that (Trump) opens his ear and his mind to it, especially with our military.”
Ruth Robison, 71, said her grandmother could not legally vote when first born.
“Eventually, she was able to vote,” Robison said. Robison is secretary of the Hawaii County League of Women Voters, but emphasized that the league is nonpartisan and does not endorse any candidate.
But, in terms of voting, she said, “it’s important that we have access to the vote. The league pushes for policies that make it possible for everybody to be able to exercise that right to vote.”
The league has long supported equal opportunity in the workplace and at all levels of government, Robison said, and is “pleased voters had an opportunity to have had a choice.”
“It’s obvious that it’s important to register. It’s important to vote. It’s important to run for office,” she said.
Jean Wygal, 77, is a resident of the Life Care Center of Hilo, a long-term care facility.
Despite the election results, she said, “it still opens the door for other women now because they’re just as qualified.”
“One day, we will have a woman president. Maybe not in my lifetime, but …,” she said.
Email Jeff Hansel at jhansel@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
