Ex-senator to run for lieutenant governor
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
Sounding a familiar refrain, former State Sen. Donna Ikeda announced her bid for lieutenant governor yesterday by calling for an educational system in Hawai'i that is "second to none."
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Surrounded by a small crowd of relatives and well-wishers on the steps of the Queen Lili'uokalani Building near The Queens Medical Center, Ikeda, a Democrat, said, "I am running for lieutenant governor and ... as the advocate for educational reform, and I will do whatever it takes to make this the issue above all others in the 2002 election."
Donna Ikeda said she is "the advocate for educational reform."
Ikeda, who is the first vice chairwoman of the state Board of Education, offered few specifics about how to "energize" and "revitalize" the educational system. But she said her experience as a mother, teacher, former lawmaker and BOE member make her the most qualified person for the job.
"I envision real reform taking place in an atmosphere of collaboration and commitment, not floundering and finger-pointing," Ikeda said. "I will assume this responsibility. You may hold me accountable."
