The race for Governor
By Derrick DePledge, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The unassuming electrical engineer from Pearl City has gained a reputation over three decades at the state Legislature as a policy wonk. As the chairman of the
But Ige's long-shot Democratic primary challenge to Gov.
"I see
Abercrombie, 76, should be savoring his last campaign after four decades in
Yet Abercrombie's job approval ratings in the Hawaii Poll have been under 50 percent since his first six months in office, and the governor -- once considered among the most reliably liberal politicians in the state -- has let down many liberals on environmental and development issues.
Public and private polls have shown that not only Ige, but also former Lt. Gov.
Ige has brought in about
The backlash against Abercrombie from influential Democrats has been unusually personal, a breach that is difficult to explain given the state's tradition of granting governors second four-year terms. Some of the governor's loyalists have dismissed the rancor as the last throes of an old guard that thrived under the late U.S. Sen.
But the schism seems deeper.
Former Gov.
Former Gov.
While Ige has profited politically from an "Anybody But Abercrombie" mutiny among some voters, much of his support is a reflection of disappointment with the governor, not enthusiasm for the challenger.
Despite Ige's warning that
Ige counters rival on preschool plan
The most significant policy split is over a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would allow public money to be used for private preschool. Abercrombie says the constitutional amendment is necessary to build capacity at both public and private schools so the state can eventually offer preschool to all 4-year-olds, while Ige has questioned the estimated
Ige has chastised Abercrombie for his wholehearted embrace of urban redevelopment in
The two Democrats have also engaged in a prolonged disagreement over credit for a record
Governors traditionally enjoy disproportionate credit and blame for the state's economy, even though market forces are often more important than government policy choices. In a sign of a soured relationship, Ige and others at
Other than labor savings from the state's negotiations with public-sector unions,
In the next three years, as the state moved into the recovery, Ige and other lawmakers often trimmed Abercrombie's spending requests.
While Abercrombie, the governor's budget advisers and
Ige was also responsible for devising an innovative bond financing plan for the state's
But rarely does any piece of legislation become state law without the countless fingerprints of lawmakers, Cabinet directors, lobbyists and interest groups, so Ige has been hesitant to claim individual credit during the primary.
"I have been a collaborator," Ige said. "I do believe in listening to and being respectful of all views. And I do believe in finding common goals and common ground."
The 'chess club' at the capitol
Appointed by Ariyoshi to fill a state House vacancy in 1985, Ige was elected to the House in 1986 and served until he moved across to the state
Ige's faction in the
Committee chairmen in the
A few of his
"He really has no ego," said state Sen.
Thielen has been disappointed by Abercrombie's stands on environmental and development issues, particularly the governor's initial -- and spirited -- defense of the
"I don't want to say that he would run from controversy, I don't want to give that impression," Thielen said of Ige. "It's more that if there is a clash on the policy positions, what he'll do is he'll look at what people are arguing over and work calmly with people to figure out is there a way to fix the issues with the bill or the law that's leading to this clash. Or is it something that does need to be repealed?
"As compared to, 'Dammit, this is a great bill and anybody opposing it has got to be wrong.'"
Having legislated, he wants to execute
For many, the starkest difference between Ige and Abercrombie is not on public policy, but personality. While Abercrombie has tethered some of the blistering rhetoric that made him a warrior of the left since his days as a Vietnam War protester, the governor is still prone to bombast and confrontation. Using a football analogy for leadership style, the governor describes himself as a quarterback, while Ige, he suggests, is more inclined to stand on the sidelines.
But, as Abercrombie was before he was elected governor, Ige's political experience is as a legislator. Aiona and Hannemann argue that what
"That's one of the reasons I'm running for governor, because I really do see it as totally different jobs," Ige said. "And, quite frankly, from sitting as a legislator, I see that legislating and establishing good policy and law is less than half of the job. Because the biggest part of the job is really execution on behalf of the governor and the executive branch.
"And I've seen so many instances where execution just falls far short of the legislative intent and the legislative design."
For Ige, his distinction from Abercrombie is three decades of work in the private sector as an engineer, project manager and administrator. Having a foot in both business and government, he said, has taught him to be a better collaborator and listener.
"They don't feel like they're getting good value from government today," Ige said of voters. "Government is not working for them. Too many times government stopped listening to their concerns or is not hearing their concerns.
"Part of that is restoring faith and trust in government."
Abercrombie said he would restore trust and faith in government when he ran four years ago after eight years of Gov.
"You just need to talk to the voters," Ige said. "They don't believe that he has."
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