Posted on: Saturday, October 26, 2002
ELECTION 2002
Lingle gubernatorial campaign outspending Hirono, 3-to-1
• Hirono, Lingle trade jabs in only TV debate
• Analysis: Lingle keeps Hirono on the defensive
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
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| Mazie Hirono • Raised: $1.69 million • Spent: $1.64 million • Cash on hand: $82,000 Matt Matsunaga |
Linda Lingle • Raised: $4.17 million • Spent: $4.52 million • Cash on hand: $116,000 James "Duke" Aiona |
Republican gubernatorial nominee Linda Lingle has outspent her Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono nearly 3-to-1 so far.
Lingle, a former Maui mayor, spent $4.5 million on her gubernatorial campaign as of Monday, according to her campaign spending report filed yesterday. Hirono spent about $1.6 million.
Still, an Advertiser Hawai'i Poll conducted Oct. 19 to 23 showed Hirono nearly tied with Lingle. Lingle had the support of 44 percent of likely voters, while Hirono's support was 40 percent, according to the poll.
The campaign spending figures are a stark contrast with the 1998 governor's race, which Lingle lost to Gov. Ben Cayetano by only 5,000 votes. In that race Lingle spent about $3.16 million while Cayetano, a Democrat, spent $4.85 million, the most ever spent by a candidate in a Hawai'i gubernatorial race.
As of Monday, Lingle had raised about $4.2 million and had about $116,000 left. She had a cash balance because she started out with more than $470,000 left over from her 1998 campaign.
Lingle also had a $1,000-a-ticket fund-raiser on Wednesday — after the reporting period — and about 280 people attended.
Hirono's report showed she raised about $1.7 million and still had about $82,000 on hand.
Lingle said she is sure that she now has more than 10,000 contributors from within the state and that her fund raising has been going very well in the final weeks of the campaign. "It's their way to say we want change — and so, fund raising has actually picked up," she said.
Hirono's campaign manager, Bob Toyofuku, said: "We've been running a very strong grassroots campaign and we also are trying to raise as much money as possible to get the message out. ...
We always knew that we were going to be outspent but it never deterred us."
Lingle's running mate, retired state judge James "Duke" Aiona, raised about $236,000 and spent $206,000. Aiona had about $30,000 left.
State Sen. Matt Matsunaga, the lieutenant governor candidate running with Hirono, raised about $236,000 and spent about $235,000. He had about $21,000 left because he began his campaign with about $20,000.
Advertiser Capitol Bureau Chief Kevin Dayton contributed to this report.
Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.
