Hawaii Democratic Party rivals break bread after primary election

Adversaries tried to remember they were friends Sunday during the Democratic Party of Hawaii’s Unity Breakfast, a bittersweet ritual held for decades the morning after the primary election.

Over coffee, orange juice, ice water, Portuguese sausage, eggs and rice at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, Democrats worked to hide the hard feelings and encourage teamwork ahead of November’s general election and the opposition offered by the Republican Party.

“Primaries are family fights, and the worst of them are really painful because you love each other. People say things that maybe they regret saying,” U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser before the breakfast began. “It’s (the breakfast) an important part of the process to unite and win the general election.”

Schatz joined U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono; U.S. Rep. Ed Case; 2nd Congressional District primary winner Jill Tokuda; gubernatorial primary winner and current Lt. Gov. Josh Green; state Rep. Sylvia Luke, the winner of the primary to replace Green; and former Mayor Kirk Caldwell in addressing more than 200 attendees.

Caldwell and Hirono were co-hosts of this year’s breakfast. Notably missing were gubernatorial candidates Kai Kahele and Vicky Cayetano.

Honolulu attorney and Democratic Party of Hawaii Chair Dennis Jung welcomed the crowd while Sam Puletasi, who finished sixth in the lieutenant governor’s race, played music and sang.

“David Au is our photographer this morning. He is available if you wish to have pictures taken with any of your friends or dignitaries here today,” said Jung. “This might be a good time to get those shots for your general election mailers.”

Hirono opened the slate of speakers by congratulating all the winners and thanking all of the candidates for “offering your services … and for your commitment to public service.”

“I’m very grateful to the leadership that the Democrats of the state have provided to the people of Hawaii for many, many years. Why? Because you listen to the people, you do the right thing, and it makes a difference,” said Hirono.

Hirono congratulated Green. “You’re the man of the hour. Josh … Sylvia … the two of you are going to make a great team.”

“I made no secret of the fact that Jill is like my political daughter, and I’m very happy,” said Hirono. “To everyone who ran, I want to thank you.”

Caldwell greeted the room by reminding everyone of the serious issues of climate change, being able to afford a home in Hawaii and the flood of visitors taxing our resources.

“We have huge, huge problems. … They’ve been here … for decades,” said Caldwell. “With the pandemic coming to an end, now is the time to take Hawaii in a new direction. … For those who won, make that extra effort to reach out to bring them (opponents) in. And it’s going to take some effort because of soreness and sadness … but that is the only way.”

Schatz thanked the crowd for continuing to trust him in representing Hawaii alongside “Mazie and Jill and Ed in the United States Congress. We have a great team … and I have no doubt we’ll be able to work with Josh and Sylvia and with the Legislature and with the mayors and the County Councils as well as we have ever worked.”

“I love this breakfast. Do I wish it were a lunch? Yes, I do. But I love this breakfast because I love the ritual of it,” said Schatz to laughter. “I love the collective commitment that it represents. … Whoever was successful or unsuccessful, that’s not entirely the point. I get that when you’re not successful it’s kind of hard to be, ‘Oh yeah, that wasn’t the point.’ But it really is about a collective commitment to the Democratic Party’s values.”

Schatz offered encouragement to Saturday’s losers by pointing out that he and Hirono both suffered tough losses during their political career and went “all-in” for opponents and the party ticket come the general election.

“I mean, it’s not a joke, because it actually happened, but it is a little funny I didn’t come in second, or third or fourth or fifth. I came in sixth when I ran for Congress, and … as (former Gov.) John Waihee said to me, ‘That wasn’t a loss, that was an experiment,’” said Schatz.

Case told the story about coming to the Unity Breakfast 36 years ago after losing by the soul-shattering margin of 34 votes to Brian Taniguchi, now a state Senator about to retire.

“The first person to come up to me was Brian Taniguchi. ‘Ed, great race, you have a future, I look forward to working with you,’” said Case. The message came amid “bitter disappointment” and was “some kind of validation,” said Case.

Case then singled out his opponent, Sergio Alcubilla, and lauded his campaign, noting that Alcubilla worked “his okole off” and had a message that resonated with a lot of people.

“Thank you for running,” said Case as Alcubilla stood to applause from the room. “You have a future. I hope you stay in it.”

Tokuda noted that she had been to the breakfast as party chair, a staff member of Hirono’s, an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor and now as winner of the 2nd Congressional District primary and that a “pau hana may be much preferred” to the traditional breakfast.

Tokuda, who won a race marked by ugly mainland mudslinging by super PACs aligned against her, thanked runner-up Pat Branco for calling Saturday night to congratulate her and offer his support for her candidacy in the general election.

“We as Democrats know that the next day it’s not about us … it was about the people of this state,” said Tokuda. “That’s why we come together as Democrats.”

Luke let loose with humor and wit not often associated with her style of legislating and campaigning. She thanked each of her opponents by name and said that at times during the forums and debates, she would catch herself thinking, “Wow, if I wasn’t running I would vote for him.”

“I have so much respect for each and every one of them for putting yourselves out there,” said Luke.

She relayed a tale of how when she first won elected office that she, Schatz, Speaker Scott Saiki and other first-time winners were called the “young Turks.”

“Clearly, now we’re middle-aged Turks,” she said. “He’s (Saiki) a senior citizen Turk.”

Green capped off the speeches by thanking his wife, Jamie, and wishing her a happy anniversary. He also thanked Gov. David Ige for his graciousness and patience. Green remembered how Ige would talk to him before leaving the state on official business.

“Green, don’t break anything,” he said. “When Sylvia lights me on fire … you may remember I was guilty of that same thing for several years.”

“This is a time to heal … a time to reach out,” said Green, asking those in attendance to place their hand on a Democrat near them and say, “I don’t hate you, I will learn to love you.”