Lingle leads money race
By Kevin Dayton and Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
Republican Linda Lingle has more cash tucked away for her 2002 campaign for governor than either of her two top Democratic rivals, Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris and Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono.
Lingle reported raising $400,684 in the first six months of this year, and had $454,673 on hand as of June 30, according to state campaign spending reports filed yesterday.
Linda Lingle: $454,673
Mazie Hirono: $222,522
Jeremy Harris: $130,495
That isn't an enormous sum for the early stages of a statewide campaign, but it's more than Harris or Hirono had. It also gives Lingle momentum she can use to raise more money and demonstrate that she will be a serious contender against two well-known, well-financed Democrats.
Hirono had $222,522 in her campaign fund, while Harris reported he had $130,495.
By way of comparison, Ben Cayetano reported at this stage of his first campaign for governor eight years ago that he had more than $700,000 in his campaign fund.
Allicyn Hikida Tasaka, campaign finance director for Hirono, said Cayetano had an advantage going into the 1994 election because he had no significant opposition in the Democratic primary that year. That meant Cayetano had little competition for campaign contributions as he passed the hat in Democratic Party circles.
That won't be the case for Hirono. Harris has already announced he is running, and Rep. Ed Case, D-23rd (Manoa) is considering entering the race.
Harris is an accomplished fund-raiser who has demonstrated he can raise money from community leaders and businesses, particularly architectural and engineering firms, developers and construction companies. Harris raised $2.8 million in his campaign for mayor last year, and spent $2.5 million.
However, Harris may face some unusual fund-raising challenges in this election, in part because he staged such an expensive mayoral campaign last year.
State law allows candidates to accept no more than $4,000 from a single source per election cycle for a four-year county office, and no more than $6,000 per election cycle for a four-year statewide office such as governor.
Bob Hogue: $9,767
Frank Fasi: $4,823
That means those donors who gave Harris the $4,000 limit in 1999 or 2000 can contribute only $2,000 more over the next two years to help him with his race for governor, according to state Campaign Spending Commission staff.
Harris reported raising less than $5,400 in the first six months of this year.
Lingle, meanwhile, has almost four times as much money this year as she had at this stage of her 1998 campaign for governor.
"It's very encouraging to have this kind of support so early in the race," said Lingle, a former Maui County mayor who serves as chairwoman of the state Republican Party. "We know it's going to be a tough campaign, and getting an early start is important."
Tasaka said Hirono staged a fund-raiser July 12 that raised another $200,000 that wasn't reflected in the report filed yesterday. Yesterday's report covered Jan. 1 to June 30.
In the mayor's race, Mufi Hannemann, who ran unsuccessfully for Honolulu mayor last year, has by far the most money of potential mayoral candidates with $210,755 at the end of June. Hannemann raised $186,836 in the first six months of the year.
Honolulu City Councilman Duke Bainum raised $70,763 in the first half of the year but reported having $21,009 at the end of the period. He also reported $15,000 in loans and $13,838 in unpaid expenditures.
Sen. Bob Hogue, R-24th (Kane'ohe, Kailua), who may also run for mayor, has $9,767.
Frank Fasi, who is also expected to run for mayor next year, reported having $4,823 in campaign money at the end of June, as well as $783,914 in debts owed by his campaign. A former mayor, Fasi ran for governor in 1998 and lost in the Republican primary.
The campaign money race between potential lieutenant governor candidates is lukewarm. City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura raised $60,968 so far this year and had $46,762 at the end of June.
Sen. Ron Menor, D-18th (Waipi'o Gentry, Wahiawa), who said he is considering running for lieutenant governor, reported having $77,195 at the end of 2000.
City Councilman John DeSoto, who may run for lieutenant governor, raised $3,309 so far this year and reported having $2,960 at the end of June.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Clayton Hee, also rumored to be running for lieutenant governor, terminated his campaign spending file a month after he won re-election to OHA last year, meaning he was not required to file yesterday.
Correction: Sen. Ron Menor filed his campaign spending report by Monday's deadline. A previous version of this story was incorrect.
Reach Kevin Dayton or Lynda Arakawa at 525-8070, kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.
