HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The race for the state’s 23rd Senate District seat is heating up as two Democratic candidates hope to win the primary election.
District 23 includes the communities of Kaneohe, Kahaluu through Laie, Kahuku to Mokuleia, Schofield Barracks and Kunia Camp.
Former Democratic Senator Clayton Hee, 71, is trying to win back his old seat after losing it in 2018. He served in the legislature for 16 years and as a trustee of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for 12 years.
He says he focused on agriculture, sea level rise and the cesspool problem.
“These are three problems, and if we at least begin to address them and tackle them, it will benefit the next generation,” Hee said.
Hee will face 65-year-old community activist and veteran Ben Shafer, one of whose top priorities is climate change and its impact on Oahu streets.
Shafer fought against the expansion of Turtle Bay Resorts and says that while his name is not well known, his support is significant and continues to grow.
He says he has the support of the HSTA and other unions.
If either Hee or Shafer wins the primary, he would face his Republican opponent, Senator Brenton Awa, who ran unopposed in the primary.
Awa says he is not campaigning for this election, so he will not be collecting donations or waving posters.
“Three governors and a former senator will try to oust me from office, but ultimately it is about the people of our district,” Awa said.
Hawaii News Now political analyst Colin Moore says it will be a tough fight.
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