To friends and fellow advocates.

Apologies for not posting sooner my “post primary” thoughts.

Honestly, I’ve been stuck, going around in circles, thankful for the many candidates who gave it their best shot, hugely disappointed in the many who lost, angry and seeking to blame those who failed to show up to vote.

However, when all is said and done, I am also ecstatic over the high quality of the candidates, the strength of their values, and the promise and potential of their commitment.

Please join me today in saying MAHALO to every single candidate who ran for election to public office during the recent Primary election. Our democracy is stronger because these individuals were willing to put their names forward, endure the public scrutiny, and face the possibility of falling short on election day.

Yes, we celebrate and congratulate those who won on August 8th, but we must also recognize, honor, and appreciate those who fell short.

I remember losing my first race for the Kauaʻi County Council. It was in 1994, but it could have been yesterday. We were sitting around the driveway, talking story, sharing the grinds, friends and family who’d been helping me campaign night and day, for months.

The first printout was announced at around 9pm on KONG radio.

It was devastating. I remember going out that night and taking the Hooser bumper sticker off my car.

Yes, losing sucks.

But the next day I got up, put a new bumper sticker back on that car (front AND back bumper), went out to the highway, held my “mahalo” sign, and waved to the steady stream of smiles, shaka’s and honks.

Yes, that very first campaign was indeed a humbling experience that nearly broke my heart and almost my bank (I’d made a personal loan to my campaign of $10,000 from a credit card “cash advance” for that “last push” prior to election day).

Fortunately, I had friends and family, and a community who helped me through it all.

My phone never stopped ringing. Friends, new and old, from across the island, called to tell me mahalo and pledged to help should I decide to run again in the future.

I remember the countless hugs from random shoppers at Big Save and Safeway who stopped to tell me mahalo for being willing to run and serve.

Miraculously it seems, my campaign bank account began to creep into the black as contributions, from $20 to $100 started coming in…as more people realized the personal financial commitment I had made to the campaign.

In 1998, I ran again for the Council and won, then in 2000 I ran for reelection and won again.

In 2002 I ran for the State Senate against an incumbent Democrat and won again.

In total I’ve run in 10 different election campaigns, winning 6 and losing 4.

But without question losing that first one was the hardest.

My hope today is that each of us will ACTIVELY reach out to those candidates in our community who fell short, and MAHALO them, AND make a contribution to their campaign bank accounts as well.

Please. Let them know how much we need and appreciate them. Offer to help, and to join with them in their commitment to make our Hawaiʻi a better place, for all of us.

My message for those candidates who fell short on August 8, is first and foremost to go outside for a walk, take a swim in the ocean, or maybe hike up into the valley.

Shake off the loss if you haven’t already. Shake it off and ACTIVELY seek out new ways to continue contributing towards making our communities better, our government more responsive, and our democracy healthier and stronger.

When you’re ready and need our help, just call and we’ll be there.

Imua.

Gary Hooser
garyhooser.blog

P.S. Yes of course, I’ll be giving a further “shout out” in the future to those candidates that will need our help in the General. But today, we honor and appreciate those that fell short.