Hanabusa backs Blangiardi in race for Honolulu’s next mayor

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Former mayoral candidate and one-time U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa announced Monday that she was endorsing retired Honolulu television executive Rick Blangiardi for the city’s top job.

Hanabusa, who finished third in Hawaii’s primary election earlier this month, did not get enough votes to advance to November’s general election run-off. Instead, Blangiardi will face Honolulu businessman Keith Amemiya, a fellow political rookie.

Neither candidate for mayor has held elected office in Hawaii, but Hanabusa believes one of them is right for the job.

“I could of course stay silent, that’s always an option,” said Hanabusa, in a virtual press conference held over Zoom. “But in these times we are going to face difficult circumstances, and we need someone who can make those hard decisions.”

“That is what I believe we have with Rick Blangiardi,” she added.

Amemiya, on the other hand, secured the endorsement of Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz last week. The two have a long-standing relationship, and Amemiya served as treasurer for Schatz’s Senate re-election campaign in 2018.

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