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Quentin Kawananakoa: Candidate Profile

by Walter Makaula

(KHNL) - He's a candidate who's no stranger to politics, and a descendant of Hawaiian royalty. 44 year old, Quentin Kawananakoa grew up on the windward side of Oahu.  He went on to earn his bachelors of science degree from USC.

Upon returning to Hawaii,  he served as a state legislator from 1994-1998, was the Republican minority leader,  and served as the commissioner to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands.

His great-grandfather was Prince David Kawananakoa, the brother of of Prince Kuhio Kalaniana'ole.

He says he's proud of his families rich history, and if he's elected, he'll continue to serve the people of Hawaii like his family has for years.

"I won't be presumptuous to think I'll do more than my kupuna, but at the same time, I will do no less."

If he's elected, he promises to make a difference.

"The first thing I'd like to do is get to Washington D.C., and make the tax cuts of 2001 by Congress permanent."  He adds, "Ever since those tax cuts, our economy has boomed."

Kawananakoa says, within the next 10 years, the majority of Hawaii's population will be over 55 years of age, so it's important to support programs like Social Security and Medicare.

Affordable housing is another key issue for him.

He says, "We're beginning to see a separation. We have a service industry, and they're taking care of the ultra-rich." He adds "The middle class is being forced out of Hawaii."

Kawananakoa believes Hawaii needs at least one Republican in Congress, and recalls when his great-grandfather, and his great-grand uncle, were rivals in the two different political parties.

"I look back on my great-grand uncle, grand uncle Prince Kuhio,  who was a delegate to Congress for 20 years as a Republican.  And what a lot of people don't know,  is my great grandfather David Kawananakoa, Kuhio's brother, was chair of the Democratic party at the same time."

He says, they knew then, that we needed to have representation on both sides of the aisle.