HGEA ANNOUNCES 2016 PRIMARY ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS 
News Release from HGEA, June 20, 2016
Hawaii Government Employees Association, the state’s largest labor union, announced its endorsed candidates for the 2016 Primary Election today. 
“Candidates seeking our endorsement went through an involved process including a question and answer session with our Political Action Committee members,” said State Political Action Committee Chair Jon Gasper. “Endorsed candidates understand the issues that are important to working people, their families and our communities.” 
Candidates endorsed by HGEA are selected by a member-driven process that starts with political action committees, which are made up of rank and file HGEA members from various bargaining units. Political action committee recommendations are then reviewed by the HGEA board of directors, which is composed of members elected by their respective bargaining units and/or island memberships.
Following is the slate of HGEA endorsed candidates, minus Maui, whose endorsements were not yet released due to scheduling challenges: 
(Note: An “open” endorsement means the union does not endorse a candidate. Members are encouraged to support and vote for any of the candidates in that race. “No action taken” means candidates did not contact HGEA for endorsement consideration in a timely manner or at all.) 
 
U.S. SENATE Brian Schatz U.S. 
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1 Colleen Hanabusa 
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2 Tulsi Gabbard 
STATE SENATE 
Hawaii 
District 1: Kaiali‛i Kahele 
District 2: Russell Ruderman 
Kauai 
District 8: Ron Kouchi 
Oahu 
District 9: Stanley Chang 
District 10: Les Ihara 
District 11: Brian Taniguchi 
District 13: Karl Rhoads 
District 14: Donna Mercado Kim 
District 15: No Action Taken 
District 19: Will Espero 
District 20: No Action Taken 
District 22: Donovan Dela Cruz 
District 25: Laura Thielen 
STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Hawaii 
District 1: Mark Nakashima 
District 2: Clift Tsuji 
District 3: Richard Onishi 
District 4: Joy San Buenaventura 
District 5: Richard Creagan 
District 6: Nicole Lowen 
District 7: David Tarnas 
Kauai 
District 14: Nadine Nakamura
District 15: Thomas Oi 
District 16: Daynette “Dee” Morikawa 
Oahu 
District 17: Open 
District 18: Mark Hashem 
District 19: Bert Kobayashi 
District 20: Open 
District 21: Scott Nishimoto 
District 22: Tom Brower 
District 23: Isaac Choy 
District 24: Della Au Belatti
District 25: Sylvia Luke 
District 26: Scott Saiki 
District 27: Takashi Ohno 
District 28: John Mizuno 
District 29: Valerie Belen Dionne 
District 30: Open 
District 31: Aaron Johanson 
District 32: Linda Ichiyama 
District 33: Open 
District 34: Open 
District 35: Roy Takumi 
District 36: Open 
District 37: Ryan Yamane 
District 38: Henry Aquino 
District 39: Ty Cullen 
District 40: Randy Gonce 
District 41: Matthew LoPresti 
District 42: Open 
District 43: Stacelynn Eli 
District 44: Jo Jordan 
District 45: Open 
District 46: No Action Taken 
District 47: Open
District 48: Jarrett Keohokalole 
District 49: Ken Ito 
District 50: Open 
District 51: Chris Lee 
HONOLULU MAYOR Kirk Caldwell 
HONOLULU PROSECUTING ATTORNEY Keith Kaneshiro 
HONOLULU CITY COUNCIL 
District I: Kymberly Pine 
District III: Ikaika Anderson 
District V: No Action Taken 
District VII: Joey Manahan 
District IX: Ron Menor 
KAUAI COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY Justin Kollar
KAUAI COUNTY COUNCIL 
Arthur Brun 
Mason Chock 
Gary Hooser 
Ross Kagawa 
Arryl Kaneshiro 
Derek Kawakami 
KipuKai Kuali‛i 
Mel Rapozo 
HAWAII COUNTY MAYOR Harry Kim 
HAWAII COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY Mitch Roth 
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL 
District I: Valerie Poindexter 
District II: Aaron Chung 
District III: Moana Keli‛i 
District IV: Eileen O’Hara 
District V: Danny Paleka 
District VI: Maile David 
District VII: Dru Kanuha 
District VIII: Karen Eoff 
District IX: Herbert Richards 
About HGEA: HGEA was founded in 1934 to ensure fair and equitable representation for government employees. HGEA is the largest labor union in Hawaii, with more than 42,000 members. HGEA represents state and county employees in eight bargaining units. HGEA also serves a large associate membership composed primarily of retirees, other state and county employees and officials, and federal and private sector employees. 
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