Hanabusa says her vision of Hawaii's future 'very different' from Ige's

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Democrats often have the same feelings about some of the biggest issues.

When Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Colleen Hanabusa was presented with that statement, she made clear that her and her opponent, current Governor David Ige, are "very different" when it comes to Hawaii's future.

"I understand the significance of Hawaii," she said in an interview on Hawaii News Now Sunrise.

Hanabusa said the state's role in the Indo-Pacific region makes it a global economy, and that the Aloha State has to build on that role in the future.

The candidate says she will focus on looking at Hawaii's position in terms of the military, the Indo-Pacific region, and the way other countries view the state. She says her experience makes her equipped to deal with such matters.

Watch Governor David Ige's interview on Sunrise.

Aside from its global role, the candidate also spoke about the state's day-to-day issues, namely airports. Some Hawaii airports have been long criticized for being dated and not up to par with other modern airports.

"I wouldn't be repairing airports in the fourth year of my term, which is what you're seeing now," she said. "Think about how many people count on the tourism industry whether directly or indirectly."

She also criticized the governor for taking credit where credit is not due.

"I don't need to be the one who invents things, or say I thought of it." Hanabusa said.

She says initiatives like airport modernization, clean energy, and protecting watersheds were already in the works before Governor Ige took office in 2014.

The Hawaii primary election take place on August 11.

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