Harris tops in donations

•	Chart: Contributions to gubernatorial candidates
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By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Businesses, labor unions and political action committees donated far more money to Mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign than to any other Hawai'i gubernatorial candidate during the most recent contribution reporting period.

And money from those sources made up a larger percentage of the total contributions to Harris than to candidates D.G. "Andy" Anderson, John Carroll, Ed Case or Linda Lingle, an Advertiser analysis of donations made between July and December shows.

Harris, a Democrat, raised $1,032,799 during that time, according to reports the Harris campaign filed with the state Campaign Spending Commission. Of that, $386,600 or 37.4 percent, came from 231 businesses, which accounted for 35.3 percent of the contributors to the campaign.

Companies giving the largest amounts included Hawaiian Airlines ($6,000); M & E Pacific Inc. ($6,000); Countertops Etc. Inc. ($6,000); Hart and Shinohara LLP ($6,000); U.S. Filter ($5,000); Belt Collins engineering ($5,000); and Dowling Company Inc. ($5,000). Another big giver was retired C. Brewer executive J.W.A. "Doc" Buyers ($5,000).

Rick Tsujimura, Harris 2002 campaign chairman, said the people who head businesses and unions in Hawai'i "support Harris so strongly because they recognize he has the right vision for how to improve our economy and our quality of life, and he has the drive and leadership to make it happen."

Tsujimura said the majority of companies that contribute to Harris are small to mid-sized businesses that represent the backbone of Hawai'i's economy.

"They have done so because Harris doesn't just talk about things, he gets things done, from improving Waikiki to athletic fields and parks around the island. That's why people like him and that's why they support him."

Republican Linda Lingle raised $221,849 during the period, the second highest amount among the five candidates. Of that, $58,620 or 26.4 percent, came from 57 businesses, which were 17.2 percent of the campaign's contributors.

Among the biggest givers were MDC Holdings Inc. ($5,000); Market City Limited ($3,800); Pacific Transfer and Warehouse ($3,000); and Group 70 International Inc. ($3,000).

Micah Kane, state GOP executive director, said Lingle's approach was different than Harris'.

"She'll never be able to compete with Jeremy Harris in the fund-raising arena, and that's not our goal," he said. "He's out to buy votes, and we're into earning votes."

Kane said the GOP welcomed contributions to Lingle from the business community, but that the campaign's focus would be on grass-roots organizing.

"She's got a loyal group of people out there who are willing to give small donations," he said. "Harris will be able to raise a massive amount of money in a short period of time from power brokers in the community, but that's not our style."

Tsujimura said Harris has won five races in his political career, from the 1978 Constitutional Convention to Honolulu mayor.

"That's true solid proof of grassroots support," he said. "As for the GOP's claim that it is solely grassroots oriented, I'm not sure you'd call multinational oil companies like Chevron-Texaco Corp. grassroots."

Harris was the only candidate to raise money from organized labor groups in the period, and pulled in $13,000 from six unions and union political action committees.

They were the Hawai'i Carpenters Market Recovery Program ($3,000); Hawai'i Laborers Political Action Committee ($2,000); the Iron Workers Union ($2,000); the Local 293 State Legislative Fund ($2,000); the State of Hawai'i Organization of Police Officers Political Action Committee ($2,000); and the Plumbers and Pipefitters union ($2,000).

Kane said Lingle definitely wanted to win blue-collar votes and contributions, but would not necessarily court traditional labor leaders.

"There's no question that Linda will make an effort to attract the working families, but it's a little more difficult for us to work through union leadership," he said.

Anderson, a former Republican and now Democrat, raised $59,900 during the reporting period, with one contribution, of $5,000, from a business. Anderson also reported $65,202 in loans to his campaign.

Case, a Democrat, raised $43,837, and $2,400 came from four businesses. Case also reported loans of $50,000 from himself and his wife. Carroll reported raising no money, but loaned his campaign $1,700.

Reach Johnny Brannon at 525-8070 or jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com.