Ten days ago, the Hawaii Republican Assembly provided a chart to show the downward decline of the number of Republicans in our state government. We solicited inputs from our readers on solutions to this alarming trend, because we believe that only through the Hawaii Republican Party can we contest the Democrat super-majority.
However, yesterday, resources of the Hawaii Republican Party were spent in an effort to debunk our chart.
Why is the HRP spending time challenging an objective chart when we all agree that there are far fewer Republicans in office today than we had over a decade ago?
We want HRP to address the issues of why we have this decline, not to get mired in red herrings.
So, in defense against this transparent attempt to change the subject, let's start where HIRA and HRP agree . . . right now.
At present, as the result of the recent 2012 election, there are only eight (8) Republicans in state office. Great, there's no dispute. There's Slom all alone in the State Senate and seven (7) Republican members of the State House: Johanson, Ward, Cheape, Fukumoto, McDermott, Fale, and Thielen.
Moving on to the outcome of the 2010 election, when Jonah Kaauwai was chairman along with several current party officers. The HRP claims that HIRA's figures about elected Republicans in state office is over by 1 ("it should be 8 instead of 9"). In 2011, the State Senate had Slom (1) plus the State House had Thielen, Ling Johanson, Marumoto, Pine, Fontaine, Ward, Ching, and Riviere (8). One plus eight equals nine (9). Point to HIRA.
Now, with the results of the 2008 election, the HRP claims again that HIRA's number is too high by 1 ("it should be 9 instead of 10"). Serving as Republicans in state government in 2009, there were Gov. Lingle and Lt. Gov Aiona (2), the State Senate had Slom and Hemmings (2), and the State House had Ching, Finnegan, Marumoto, Pine, Thielen, and Ward (that's another 6) which adds up to ten (10). Point to HIRA.
Following the 2006 election, the HRP claims that there were eighteen (18) Republicans in state office, HIRA claims thirteen (13). Lingle and Aiona were in office, so that's two (2). There were a total of five Republicans serving in the State Senate: Gabbard, Hemmings, Slom, Trimble, and Whalen (5). That brings us to seven. Let's look at the official list from the State Capitol. There was Awana, Ching, Finnegan, Marumoto, Meyer, Pine, Thielen and Ward; that's eight (8) house members. That brings the actual total of elected Republicans in state government to fifteen (15)...and when you subtract the two elected Republicans who switched to the Democrat Party (Awana and Gabbard), that leaves thirteen (13). Point to HIRA.
See where this is going?
A large discrepancy exists between HIRA and HRP during the 2000 elections. The HRP claim thirteen (13), HIRA says twenty two (22). Quick roll call . . . Cayetano was governor and Hirono was his lieutenant. That brings us to zero (0). In the State Senate, there were Hemmings, Hogue and Slom. That's three (3). In the State House, there were Auwae, Bukoski. Davis. Djou. Fox, Gomes, Halford, Jaffe, Leong, Marumoto, McDermott, Meyer, Moses, Ontai, Pendleton, Rath. Stonebreaker, Thielen, Whalen. That's nineteen (19). That adds up to twenty two (22) elected Republicans in the State Legislature. Point to HIRA
Ultimately, the question is: who do you believe? The history of our Republican Party in Hawaii is important. The reality is tragic. You cannot know where you are going unless you take an accurate account of where you are today. Success is a long way away, and we can get there through honest assessment, hard work, and conservative principles.
