Posted on: Friday, December 6, 2002

HGEA endorses Matt Matsunaga for Congress

Advertiser Staff

The Hawai'i Government Employees Association has endorsed former state Sen. Matt Matsunaga for the U.S. Congress in the 2nd Congressional District covering rural O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands.

Matsunaga and 43 other candidates are running in a special election to be held Jan. 4 to fill the late Patsy Mink's seat in the 108th Congress.

HGEA Executive Director Russell Okata said the group's 17,776 members will be urged to vote for Matsunaga and informed as to why he is the best candidate.

"Matt embodies his family values of trust, honor and integrity," Okata said. "Matt truly believes that public service is an honorable calling, and he will not bring dishonor to the people of Hawai'i. Matt will make all of Hawai'i proud."

Mink, who had served Hawai'i in the U.S. House for 24 years, died of viral pneumonia Sept. 28, two days too late to have her name removed from the general election ballot. Voters elected her posthumously Nov. 5, triggering the special election.