Kai Kahele says he will seek the nomination this Saturday to fill the state Senate seat vacated by his late father, Gil Kahele.
Kahele, a 41-year-old Hawaiian Airlines pilot and Hawaii Air National Guard major, said he is not taking anything for granted, but hopes to be able to see his father’s legislative priorities through the rest of the session.
“My priorities are right now what my priorities were, what he left behind — the revitalization of Banyan Drive, the development of a world-class aviation program right here in Hilo,” he said.
Legislation to create an aviation program at the University of Hawaii at Hilo was something they both worked on together, said Kahele, who also listed renovations of the Lanakila housing project, which his father grew up in, as a priority.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Hawaii County Democratic Party had received three applications for the nomination process, which will take place at Keaukaha Elementary School, said Chairman Phil Barnes. The application deadline is 6 p.m. today.
Barnes said the official applicants as of 3 p.m. Tuesday were:
• Margarita “Dayday” Hopkins, former Hawaii County economic development specialist.
• Dolly Strazar, former Lyman Museum executive director.
• Donald Ikeda, Windward Planning Commission member and former County Council member.
Barnes said he suspects applicants were waiting until after Gil Kahele’s memorial services ended Monday before making it official.
Applicants must be party members in good standing, residents of the senate district, which covers greater Hilo, and receive five signatures from party members in the district.
The signatures must be sent to Barnes’ address at 64 Amauulu Road, but other information can be emailed to him at greenhi3@yahoo.com.
The party will select three nominees this Saturday, which Gov. David Ige will use to appoint a successor.
The winner of the appointment process will have to run in this year’s primary and general elections to keep the seat. Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi said he will run in the election rather than seek the appointment.
While he’s not occupied a political seat or ran for office before, Kai Kahele said he grew up immersed in politics, noting that his father took him on his 18th birthday to register with the Democratic Party.
Kahele, a combat veteran in Iraq and Afghanistan, said he was “very close” to his father, who died Jan. 26 at the age of 73, and the senator asked him in the hospital if he was willing to be his successor.
“We had long conversations leading up to his death and we talked about different situations and different things, work that he has and dreams that he has for Hilo,” he said. “One of the things he asked is if I thought I could do it and work as hard as he did.”
Kahele has followed in his father’s footsteps in other ways, such as leading the community organization, Pa‘a Pono Milolii, which the late senator formed.
He said he would step down from that organization if Ige appoints him to the seat.
Kahele said he is not assuming he will be a nominee, though he noted he is one of the precinct officers who will have a say in the matter.
Barnes said nine precincts will submit votes for the nominees. Party rules allow Kahele to caucus with his precinct, but he won’t be able to participate in the interviews of other applicants.
The same goes for Hopkins, another precinct officer, Barnes said.
“This is somewhat unchartered territory for me,” Kahele said. “It’s not something I had thought about. It definitely is something I think I’m capable of and equipped to do it.”
He added, “I’m looking forward to Saturday and sharing my dreams, my vision for Hilo, and I’m looking forward to that democratic process.”
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
