The differences between the candidates go back to when Kusaka was mayor and Hooser a member of the Kaua'i County Council. One area of conflict has been the incumbent's insistence on public access to beaches and other public areas. Hooser said he is proud of a bill he introduced that became law that makes it a misdemeanor to block a legal public access.

Kusaka argues that some public access battles are too expensive to fight. She said the controversy over public access across movie mogul Peter Guber's land at Papa'a Bay is a good example of the need to pick your battles.

"He has millions of dollars. Fighting him over that is going to cost us a lot of money," she said.

On education, Kusaka, a former teacher, thinks a key is to grant local control to schools. She does not necessarily favor local school boards, as her friend Gov. Linda Lingle does, but she said she is sure local control is something that will help .

"We have taken polls and the return polls say 70 percent of the people want education to involve the local community," Kusaka said.

Hooser said he's not ready to throw out the existing system until an outline of a new system is laid out. In the meantime, it's clear that education needs more money to pay teachers better, reduce class sizes and do a better job with younger students, he said.

"We need to focus on the younger grades. It's easier to do that and make stronger students there than to try to catch up later," he said.

Both candidates said they would attack crystal methamphetamine use in the community. Kusaka would give police the power to enter homes where suspicious activity is taking place without court orders, and would expand wiretapping authority. Hooser said he worries about the potential intrusions into personal liberties and instead would look for ways to increase the number of police. He said he also would attack the drug problem from the treatment end.

"There is no residential treatment facility here at all. We need to fund that, for the people that do want help," Hooser said.

Kusaka said businesses are crippled by taxes and government regulation. She said she is committed to no new taxes and making worker's compensation less burdensome on business.

"Businesses here have not been honored," she said.

Hooser, a former businessman, said he feels worker's compensation is needed, but supports legislation to minimize abuse of the system. "That's what people have been concerned about," he said.

On other issues, Kusaka said she dislikes the rancor she sees at the Legislature. "I hope to bring compassion and aloha to the arena up there," she said.

Asked to sum up what she is offering the electorate, Kusaka responded: "I pledge that whatever I do will be in the best interest of the community, not special interests."

Said Hooser: "I'm a Democrat and I believe in the Democratic core values. I think that people get it that I look out for local people."