Council votes return incumbents, favor state legislators
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
There were few surprises for Honolulu City Council seats, with incumbents winning their seats outright and state lawmakers seeking city office overtaking their opponents.
Sitting council members Ann Kobayashi and Romy Cachola both far exceeded the 50 percent vote needed to win outright.
Kobayashi, of District 5 (Makiki, Kapahulu), said the initial results were what she had hoped for. "We were shooting for the 50 percent plus one, so that we could concentrate on our work at City Council without having to go through to November," she said.
Cachola, of District 7 (Kalihi, Airport), was also optimistic that his early lead would hold. "I think that based on the early results ... that we might be able to make it," he said, thanking his supporters for their confidence.
Gary Okino, of District 8 (Pearl City, Waipi'o), ran unopposed.
While state legislators vying for city office had early leads, it didn't appear any had a large enough margin to avoid a face-off in the general election.
In District 6 (Nu'uanu, Kaka'ako), state Sen. Rod Tam won with a strong showing, though short of the 50 percent plus. John Steelquist, a business professor at Chaminade University and a member of the Makiki Neighborhood Board, came in second, followed by Dennis Nakasato, a flight attendant for United Airlines.
State Rep. Nestor Garcia, (D-Waipahu) secured a general election spot in District 9 (Central O'ahu). Former police chief Michael Nakamura also advanced, with little competition from Clifford Laboy, Mike Golojuch and Guill Colon.
"It's good to be sitting at this position early on in the vote counting," Garcia said, after the second round of vote tallies was announced.
"It's not over until the final vote is tabulated. If I have to, I'm ready to work another couple months to take this all the way."
In District 4 (East Honolulu), state Rep. Charles Djou (R-Kahalu'u, Kane'ohe) advanced to the general election with former city managing director Bob Fishman. Djou recently moved to Hawai'i Kai, but held his own over longtime residents Mike Abe, Cameron Heen and Terrence Teruya.
In District 1 (Wai'anae, 'Ewa), local businessman Mike Gabbard was the leader with Pam Witty-Oakland, a legislative aide to City Councilman John DeSoto, coming in second, followed by John Kaopua, a legislative liaison for the Ironworkers Stabilization Fund.
When the absentee votes were counted for District 3 (Windward O'ahu), former state Sen. Stan Koki trailed former broadcast journalist Barbara Marshall. City planner Don Bremner was a distant third, followed by housewife Kimberly Kalama and radio station manager Jeff Coelho.
Political newcomer Donovan Dela Cruz, a marketing director and chairman of the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board, was first in the race in District 2 (Wahiawa, North Shore), and former state lawmaker Gerald Hagino came in second on the ballot.
