King’s last-minute entry brings mayoral field to eight
Race includes former judge, council members, business owners
WAIKAPU — Maui County Council Member Kelly Takaya King officially entered the Maui County mayoral race on Tuesday’s filing deadline, expanding the field to eight candidates.
It had already been a crowded field with incumbent Mayor Michael Victorino, Council Member Mike Molina and retired 2nd Circuit Court Chief Judge Richard Bissen Jr. among the more notable names.
King announced in March that she would step down from her South Maui residency seat on the council after her current term ended and that she had “left open the option to run for state office.” She filed nomination papers on May 25 to run for the state House of Representatives District 11 seat being vacated by Rep. Tina Wildberger, who said she will not seek reelection for the seat representing Kihei, Wailea and Makena.
But on Monday, King withdrew from the state race and pulled papers for the mayor’s race, filing on Tuesday and making her formal public announcement in the afternoon.
Speaking at the Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu, King explained that the decision was finalized over the weekend as people had been asking her to run for mayor. By the end of a meeting on Sunday with 35 people on the call, there were pledges of more than $30,000 from her supporters.
“We have an opportunity to create a kinder, gentler, more nourishing administration, one that collaborates, one that understands that we all have to work together and you know, you share the credit, and then, if things don’t go well, you share the blame,” King said. “But you know we’re learning together, we’re bringing in the expertise. I have a good record. I think everybody knows who I am so there’s not gonna be any surprises. I’m not speaking in platitudes. I’m speaking based on the experience that I have and the accomplishments I’ve already made.”
She said that in the state House, she would be one of 51 policy makers, but that the mayor gets to be the administrator.
“The most important thing as mayor is to have a vision of what you want for Maui, right? Have that vision, and then you hire people, professional people, to run your departments who follow the vision, understand how they support that vision and work together across the different departments,” King said.
As for joining an already crowded race, King said: “I don’t want to belittle anybody’s chances. I think it’s great that so many people have jumped into the race … and see the changes that we need and think they can do it.”
Fellow candidates had mixed reactions about King’s last-minute entry and the crowded race on Tuesday.
“I was a little surprised by Ms. King’s late decision to enter the mayor’s race because she had indicated interest in running for state office, however, I believe voters benefit from having more choices,” Victorino said in an email.
As of April, when candidates had to file their spending reports, Bissen was the top fundraiser in the mayor’s race, followed by Victorino and Molina.
“I’m not surprised by the level of interest in this position,” Bissen said in an email. “Voters are very engaged right now and I’m grateful for their generosity and support, from their volunteerism to their donations. I appreciate and recognize the confidence the public is showing in me.”
Molina, who currently sits on the council with King, said: “Welcome to the race.”
Mayoral candidate Cullan Bell, who owns a small construction company and was part of the organizing group that unsuccessfully sought to recall Victorino, said Tuesday in an email that “all of
these candidates jumping in especially at the last minute serve to be a distraction, taking away from candidates who have had their boots on the ground advocated for freedom, our children, and Maui first for years.”
“Candidates who are either incumbent, worked in the public sector, or are seeking different positions should have done more before,” Bell added. “It’s time we put actions to what we all say.”
Candidate Alana Kay, an author and publisher, saw the crowded field as a call for change.
“It appears to me that there is a mandate for change because so many people are challenging the current mayor,” Kay said.
“It is going to be an exciting and interesting campaign with all the great people running for office,” she added. “I do hope that we will get the right person in office who can make some of the much-needed changes and get our island moving on a different trajectory.”
Jonah Lion, who has also filed to run for mayor, said, “I know I am the dark horse in this race, which I see is more of a marathon, yet what I have to say is important.”
“When I saw Kelly King on the list, I was close to choosing to not turn in my nomination paperwork, however God has another plan and let me know immediately that I am to stay the course and enjoy the journey,” said Lion, whose background includes physical education, youth directing, teaching, coaching and firefighting.
“I am learning a lot about our community, this political process and connecting to the leaders here on Maui and throughout Hawaii. For this I am grateful, inspired and hopeful for the future,” he added.
Kim Brown, who opened Akamai Coffee Co. in 2007 and is also running for mayor, could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday.
The two mayoral candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election on Aug. 13 will then advance to the general election on Nov. 8.