Big Island House races keep with status quo

There were no shakeups in the Big Island House races this election season.

With 3,670 votes, incumbent Democrat Richard Creagan, a retired Naalehu physician, kept control of House District 5. His challenger, Dave Bateman, was one of two West Hawaii Republicans to mount anything resembling a challenge to the Democratic status quo, but still only had 36 percent of the count, with 2,362 votes.

Libertarian Jon Lalanne trailed in the House 5 contest with 247 votes.

In the House District 6 race, incumbent Democrat Nicole Lowen kept her seat, taking 3,782 votes in a challenge with Republican Kelly Valenzuela, who had 2,291 votes. Lowen’s platform included reducing energy costs and continuing to bring support and funding for such projects as the new Hawaii Community College — Palamanui site and the Kona Judiciary Complex. Looking ahead on election night, Lowen said it is also time to address the need for a new hospital in Kona.

“I think people have gotten to know me. My record speaks for itself and I ran a really positive campaign,” Lowen said. “We just kept working hard the whole time.”

“I’m ready to get back to work,” Lowen added.

Valenzuela said she ran because she believed the constituents needed to have more of a voice. While campaigning, Valenzuela said she discovered a disconnect between politicians talking about renewable energy and sustainable farming and a broad swath of people who didn’t farm and couldn’t afford solar.

“Their whole issue is, ‘they’re not listening to us and we need help with the cost of living, jobs, food,’” Valenzuela said.

In the other House districts, there were few surprises as Democrats opened huge leads: District 1 Democrat Mark Nakashima secured a position he has held since 2008, leading Libertarian Eric Weinert handily with 6,261 votes to Weinert’s 1,439 votes. Nakashima, a former teacher and graduate of Honokaa High School, had promised to promote geothermal energy and greater collaboration between educational institutions and the public.

In District 3, Democratic incumbent Richard Onishi gained 5,015 votes to prevail over Republican Bill Dickson of Mountain View with 983 votes and Libertarian Fred Fogel of Volcano, who had 799 votes. The District 4 race was also characteristically lopsided, with Democrat Joy San Buenaventura gaining 4,261 votes to Republican Gary Thomas’ 1,700 votes.

Creagan gained points with voters for securing $725,000 in funding to kick off a new Ocean View well within his first few months navigating the Legislature — something that other politicians had failed to accomplish. He has also maintained that he understands how the game of government is played and that it would take a Democrat to get anything done for his district.

“I didn’t set that up, but that’s the reality,” he said, noting that he ran a campaign free of negativity — one that he felt voters responded to.

“I think they’re responding to my experience,” Creagan said.

“I want my constituents to have a good life,” he said. “A good life for me is to help others have a good life and I think people felt that.”

Bateman campaigned on a platform to trim government and make it more responsive. He had hoped to spur business by slashing red tape and taxes, leading to a greater overall prosperity that would buoy residents above poverty that he said was too pervasive.

Bateman said he’d sign-waved late into the evening leading up to the election.

“We worked really hard,” he said.

Bateman has two farms to run and almost didn’t try for office.

“I felt the nudge,” he said. “Someone has to stand up and give the opposing viewpoint. I wanted to try to balance out the ideology a little bit so at least we have a debate.”