Lee Cataluna, one of Hawaii's top political commentator's penned a column for the Star Advertiser Wednesday: Political Winds Of Change Are Felt, covering the announcement that state Sen. Kai Kahele will be challenging Tulsi Gabbard's reelection in a 2020 primary. "It might seem," wrote Cataluna, "like he timed the launch of his congressional campaign to take advantage of the political winds that suddenly made incumbent Tulsi Gabbard seem vulnerable. As soon as Gabbard announced her run for president, all the dirt from her years of virulent anti-gay activism and lack of focus on the district and the people she represents rose up again."
It might look like Kahele saw the opening and swooped in to target the seat Gabbard doesn’t seem to want anymore (though she can simultaneously run for re-election while trying for the nomination for president).But Kahele said he’d been thinking about it for a while.At the Mooheau Bandstand two months ago, during the Democratic Party Grand Rally in Hilo, Kahele gave a speech that in hindsight sure sounded like he was aiming for higher office.He talked of universal preschool, debt-free college, health care for all and immigration reform, lamenting the treatment of immigrants at America’s southern border.“I want to know what happened to the message ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free.’ What happened to that message? There is something profoundly wrong in American today. We are better than this,” he said.Kahele makes a compelling candidate. He has more years in military combat than Gabbard. He has a real job-- Hawaiian Airlines pilot-- which makes his political aspirations seem more like a call to service than a hunger for power and status or a way to pay his bills. He speaks Hawaiian and set a goal together with his wife and children to be fluent in five years. He was on the winning UH men’s volleyball team in the 1990s, a bit of Hawaii cred that goes a long way with a lot of folks. His father, the late Sen. Gil Kahele, was a beloved leader who spent his life in public service. While Gabbard threw her father and his bigoted beliefs under the bus last week, Kahele’s father was a champion of same-sex marriage rights.The night of his speech in November, Kahele had child-care duty while his wife, Maria, a flight attendant for Hawaiian Airlines, was off island. His two youngest daughters, ‘Iolana, 4, and Namaka, 2, came on stage with him. They tucked themselves into the base of the podium at their father’s legs and listened quietly as he spoke. A photo of that moment made the rounds on social media, the image of a modern political candidate balancing work and family.Gabbard cruised to re-election this year without spending much time at home or deigning to debate her opponent. If she wants to keep her seat in Congress while she runs for president, she’s in for a rougher ride in 2020. She’s going to have to do more than give scripted interviews to CNN. She’s going to have to actually fly home and talk to real people and answer real questions and prove that she wants to represent the district, not just keep it as a fallback in case the presidential thing doesn’t pan out.
I spoke with Kai on the phone this week, about Medicare for All, about the Green New Deal, about why he feels he will make a better representative for the 2nd district (basically, all of Hawaii outside of Honolulu) than Tulsi Gabbard. I invited him to introduce himself with a guest post. If you want to follow him on twitter, you can do that here and in you'd like contribute to his campaign, you can do that on his ActBlue page. There is no Ed Case-type conservative in this race, at least not so far. This is shaping up to be a primary battle between two Democrats who are likely to vote identically on all domestic progressive issues. It also promises to be a very contentious and personal race that will be fascinating to follow as Americans are being asked to overlook Tulsi's conservative past and consider voting for her for president.Aloha! by Sen. Kai KaheleI am truly honored to be able to post my first blog for Down with Tyranny! For those reading this and wondering, "who is this guy?" Let me tell you a little about myself.My name is Kai Kahele. I am currently the Hawaiʻi State Senator representing the district of Hilo on the island of Hawaiʻi (commonly known as the Big Island). I am not a career politician. I am a combat veteran who flew in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I currently work as a commercial pilot for Hawaiian Airlines (simultaneously to serving in the Senate and the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard). I previously served as Executive Director for a small nonprofit. I have an extraordinary wife, Maria, who is a flight attendant. We have three beautiful daughters.I am running to represent Hawaiiʻs 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives in 2020.As a father who has needed to juggle multiple jobs for years to make ends meet for my family, I personally understand the everyday struggles of families in America. Hard working people like those I currently represent deserve a livable wage. Parents should be able to be home with their children in the evenings, instead of running to second, or even third, jobs.Health care is one of my highest priorities. I support Medicare for All. Hawai‘i has enjoyed near universal health care since 1974. The system works. All Americans should have access to affordable and quality health services. We should ensure that we have adequate services for expecting mothers, children, people of all abilities, and the aging. We should encourage programs that support active aging, so our parents and grandparents can enjoy active, healthful lives as long as possible. As a veteran, I know we need to do better by those who have sacrificed so much for this country. We need to expand VA services for military families.I strongly support climate justice. We need more than just a plan to fight global warming, but programs that stop the disproportionate impacts of climate change in vulnerable communities. Therefore, I support the idea of a Green New Deal, where we are simultaneously stimulate our economy, while addressing social inequality.As a strong union member (ALPA), I believe that the economic stimulus stemming from the Green New Deal must work thoughtfully and actively with our unions so that we are aggressively offering union members opportunities to build capacity and transition into new work sectors that honor their skills, years of service, and dedication to hard work.My family has a proud legacy of supporting civil rights for all people. As a native Hawaiian, I strongly support the rights of indigenous peoples. As an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, I have never had any question as to my support of all people, of all gender identities, and sexual orientations. Universal human rights should never be in question in the United States.I was so proud to kick off my campaign earlier this week surrounded by hundreds of friends, family and longtime supporters in my hometown. I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, not only here in Hawaiʻi, but from across our great Nation. I was also honored today when I found out that the Daily Kos endorsed my candidacy, their first endorsement of the 2020 election cycle. As they said in their announcement, "Kahele is a combat pilot with the Air National Guard whoʻs flown missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and now flies commercial jets for Hawaiian Airlines. Heʻs also a solid progressive who supports Medicare for all, a Green New Deal, and the Equality Act."I look forward to engaging with you as we embark on this journey together. Please visit www.kaikahele.com to learn more about me or to sign up and keep in touch.Mahalo!Kai Kahele