GaryHooser's Blog

Aloha Friends,

Following the disappointing results of Tuesday night, I wanted to write you this brief note, with a more extended message to follow in the coming days. Many of you have asked about the reasons for our loss, and I will attempt as best I can to analyze and report on that question in the coming weeks.

A message similar to the below was posted on Facebook but I understand all of you may not have seen it. In addition, below also include comments I provided to The Garden Island who have inquired as to “how I am feeling”.

I awoke Wednesday morning at peace with the Council election results, but remain very unsettled by the national situation.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve on the Kauai County Council.  

We ran an incredibly vigorous campaign and I am in awe and deep gratitude to those of you who helped and supported that effort.

My message at the moment is one of gratitude to all of those who have helped me over the past few months. You know who you are.

From the bottom of my heart I thank you for all you have done in support of me and the campaign. I promise you that my commitment, actions and efforts in the future will continue to be focused on helping to make our world a better place.

During the years I have spent campaigning for public office I have lost 4 elections while winning 6, serving so far a net total of 16 years in elective office (including both the Kauai County Council and the Hawaii State Senate).  

The process is such that you give the campaign 110%, the people vote and decide, and then you move forward with the decision made by the voters.  

As the results came in on Tuesday evening, the thoughts that were at the top of my mind were primarily those of not wanting to disappoint or let others down who have worked so very hard to support me and the campaign.  I know and understand that for me personally there are many paths to service and when one door shuts, another always opens

Our island and our State continues to face many challenges and I am committed to remaining engaged in the efforts to resolve them.  My initial plan is to expand my work with the many existing groups and various advocacy organizations and then to move forward in support of independent community based solutions.  

Preserving and expanding the hard won gains in the area of environmental and health protections will remain a top priority.

As I enter the prime of my life, I am excited and somewhat anxious to choose that new path and cross through that new door that awaits me. My goal and hope to all of you who are part of my life and who have been part of this incredible journey, is that we remain connected and continue to work together in our common quest to improve and protect our planet and community.

Imua!

The voting will end in approximately 3 hours and our poll watchers are telling us there are still thousands of our friends and neighbors who have not yet voted.

These are folks who share our core values but who for whatever reason have not yet made it to the voting booth. They have marched with us, signed our petitions and belong to organizations that put progressive values and environmental protection first.

But yet far too many of these friends have not yet showed up to vote.

The good news is there is still time but we must act now during these next few hours to locate these friends and encourage/convince them to vote today. If the federal election has turned them off, please remind them the importance of our local elections.

Please look into your address book and networks and help search out and find those of our friends who have not yet voted and encourage them to do so. Please help them with transportation if that is needed and do your best to impress upon them the importance of exercising this important responsibility – especially at the local level.

This election will be very, very close and a handful of votes will determine the winners.

Please join us tonight at the HQ starting at 6:30pm to await the election results. This is “pot luck” and family and friends are welcome! The first returns could be announced as early as 7pm but it is likely to be later with the final election results likely not known until 10pm or so.

Thank you for helping me push just a little bit more these last few hours. We have a winning plan and strategy, but need your help now to go this last few feet to the finish.

Imua!

Gary Hooser

Aloha Friends,

We did it! Mahalo to the over 100 generous donors who contributed from $10 to $1,000 per person and allowed us to meet our goal! As a result we were able to produce and mail our final GOTV mailer to over 10,000 voting households on Kauai. This is a YUGE part of our “final 7 day strategy to win” that begins today!

In general our fundraising efforts have been strong, enabling us to run a full throttle campaign via mail, radio, newspaper and social media. We have backed up our aggressive paid media campaign with island-wide door-to-door canvassing. We have knocked on doors in Hanalei, Kilauea, Anahola, Kapaa, Wailua, Hanamaulu, Lihue, Puhi, Koloa, Kalaheo, Hanapepe and Kekaha. The few neighborhoods we have yet to visit in person, we hope to cover in the coming few days.

Though we have not gotten to every single house we have knocked on thousands of doors and met with and listened to local residents from all walks of life representing all demographics.

Every morning in various communities around the island, I have been greeting the morning commuters as the sun comes up. In addition our team has attended countless events and participated in many activities all around Kauai.

Now, we are 7 days out and it is truly crunch time. While the number of financial contributors exceed 400 individual local residents, our goal now is to enroll a similar number to help “on the ground” during this crucial final week. The money part is done and I thank you all who have stepped up to help in this area for that very generous support.

Now it is time to close out the campaign the ole fashion way, on the ground – canvassing door-to-door, phone banking and holding signs at key locations.

If you are available and interested in helping “hands on” please join us at HQ TONIGHT, Tuesday November 1 at 6pm for our FINAL Campaign Meeting. Any and all who want to actively help during this final all important week are welcome and encouraged to attend. Pot luck if you can.

The Campaign HQ is located at the end of Pouli Road directly next to Foodland in Kapaa. Look for the Hooser Signs!

On Friday November 4th, we are “SignHolding” from 4pm until 6pm along the highway @ Kauai Community College – Our goal is to make this final sign holding event our biggest ever so please spread the word and bring friends and family.

Saturday November 5th, “First Saturday in Kapaa” – We need volunteers to wear Hooser t-shirt’s and Hooser cap’s, circulate in the Kapaa business strip and enjoy themselves (while increasing Hooser name visibility). Free shirts and caps are available @ HQ and at our table in Kapaa Saturday night (while supplies last).

Saturday and Sunday November 5th and 6th we will be canvassing in two shifts, morning from 8:30am until 11:30am and the afternoon from 1pm until 3:30pm. Email me for meeting locations.

Tuesday November 8th – 8:30am – 5pm PHONE BANKING AT HQ, Plus sign holding (8:30am – 11:30am minimum or all day if you can).

Fellowship to follow at HQ while we await the election returns (pot luck)!

Please accept my apology if this email is a bit “rough” as I am scrambling to get it out while juggling a multitude of other tasks. Please also know that I am aware that many people on this email list live on different islands and even in different parts of the world. I am assuming in general that most of you are supportive and somewhat interested in the campaign…and know that it will all be over with soon.

Imua! gh

http://www.garyhooser.com

Aloha Friends,

Today will be the final time I ask you to help with a donation to our campaign.

While we have largely been on track with our fundraising, today with only two weeks remaining until Election Day of November 8th I need to make one final ask.

We need to raise $4,310.41 today in order to order the printing and mailing of our final campaign “Get Out The Vote” (GOTV) post card. This is a critical component of our campaign strategy and we must order and pay for this piece today so that it is mailed on Friday.

Please help if you can by going online today and contribute at: https://garyhooser.com/donate-now/

If you prefer to mail a check please send to: Friends of Gary Hooser, 5685 Ohelo Road, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746.

Receiving funds online today if possible is our urgent priority however checks mailed in the very near future are also welcome and needed to fund this all important final two weeks activity.

No contribution is too small and the maximum allowed by law is $2,000 per individual. No corporate donations please.

So many have already given so much that it pains me to ask again. However this is a critically important piece of our campaign strategy and we must get it produced and mailed immediately.

We have been working very hard and will continue our 24/7 effort all the way through until the polls close on November 8th. There is every reason to believe we can and will win strong but I need to ask today for your extra effort and help to ensure that happens. We are leaving no stone unturned and this final direct mail GOTV piece is key.

Mahalo to all who have already been so generous.

Sincerely,

Gary Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com

NOTE: We continue to need people to help with phone banking and to help “hold signs”, especially on election day November 8th. If you can help with theres activities and are not on our separate “volunteer email list”, please email me and I will make sure you are informed as to how to help.

My eyes open at around 4:15am on most mornings. My phone alarm which I set religiously rarely ever actually rings as my internal clock advances earlier and earlier every day.

I stumble into the kitchen, grind the beans and prepare the coffee (black and strong), part of which is consumed while taking a hot shower. I then sit in my regular spot at the kitchen table and catch up on the news and the never-ending stream of email. Cameron who is helping me now daily, arrives at 5:45am and we depart to “hold signs” and greet the morning commuters in various parts of the island. Cameron drives so I can continue working on my phone, reviewing and responding to various email.

We “hold signs”, wave and throw more than a few “shaka’s” as what seems like an endless flow of cars stream by until about 7:45am. It may seem strange perhaps to some, but I thoroughly enjoy this early morning ritual. In a peculiar way it offers me a time of quiet solitude even in the midst of the constant sound of the traffic and occasional honking. The folks in the cars mostly smile, wave back or return the shaka in affirmation of the brief contact being made, even as they pass quickly by moving on to unknown destinations and activities. Some of course will turn and look away and a very few sad and sometimes angry individuals will offer a less than positive hand gesture.

8am until 10am or so is usually reserved for “meetings” which often means more coffee as I grab quality time with friends/associates/constituents in the community at coffee shops around the island, reviewing issues that may be impacting them personally or perhaps just catching up and reconnecting. Impacting the lives of regular people in a positive way and responding to the needs of my community is where the rubber meets the road for me, and I love it.

Before, after and in-between the face-to-face meetings I am on the phone, either talking, texting or sending out email. At 10:30 or so, I will head to the campaign HQ to huddle with Cameron and meet with campaign volunteers – moving forward various aspects of the campaign including the final media push, ordering last minute supplies, paying bills, raising money for which to use to pay those bills, and reaching out to people in the community who have offered to help.

In between it all I will text or call my children, check on Maximus Aurelius, double check with Claudette and unless the time of day has already gotten “too late”, I will perhaps give my mother in Georgia a call. My new grandson Rixon is just a month old. I don’t see him often enough and have convinced myself that he does not miss grandpa quite yet and so I can make up for the infrequent visits now by spoiling him rotten once the campaign is over.

Around 2pm I will remember I have had neither breakfast nor lunch and that coffee was not going to sustain me much further. To fuel the balance of the day I will grab whatever consumable food-like substance is closest at hand. Sometimes it is organic and green, sometimes a bento, sometimes a peanut butter sandwich and often simply trail mix (without the M&M’s). I will chase this down with 2000 mg’s of vitamin C, maybe a multivitamin and copious amounts of H2O.

Depending on the day, late afternoons are often spent canvassing neighborhoods and putting up signs and banners. Our goal is to knock on doors and place our signs in every single town and community on Kauai before November 8th and we are on track to reach that goal. Residents are often pleasantly surprised to see it is actually the candidate on their doorstep and some will take a moment or two to share their thoughts about the County and its challenges.

On many days there are functions and events and often multiple commitments that conflict but must be accommodated. Sometimes this means attending one function at perhaps the Kauai Marriott and then leaving early to attend another at Princeville or in Waimea. While these functions are primarily social in nature (community fundraisers and annual gala celebrations), the hosting organization and others in attendance view the presence of candidates as an indicator of respect and interest for their particular cause. These events offer a unique look into each and every segment of our culture and community, and the food experience and wide variety of culinary delights available at these functions is awesome (but sometimes tough on the waist-line)

On Saturdays and now even on Sundays we also canvass all day in one neighborhood or another. Walking door-to-door and speaking directly with people in the community is without a doubt the most valuable activity a candidate can participate in. Talking with people one-on-one about the issues that impact them most directly is a key part of staying connected to the real world that lives outside the political bubble many in government reside in.

There is one fundamental rule of serving in public office:
“No matter how smart you are, no matter how hard you work and no matter how good you are in your heart – you cannot serve in public office unless you can get elected.”

I love the work that I do and would like to keep doing it. And though arduous and stressful at times, I love the campaign as well.

Campaigning for election is an important part of the process that prepares candidates for the job of actual serving in elective office. Today, I feel more prepared than ever. I know also that the coming 2 years of service will for me be the most productive and fruitful of my entire time in public service I am committed to this and you have my word on it.

Imua!

Gary Hooser

P.S. YES – Our campaign still needs additional funds to pay for our final, final push to win on November 8th. If you can help, please contribute TODAY if you can. No amount is too small and the maximum allowable by law is $2,000 per person. You can give online at http://garyhooser.com/donate-now/ or via mail to Friends of Gary Hooser, 5685 Ohelo Road, Kapaa HI. 96746. We also continue to need volunteers to assist with canvassing, phone-banking and “holding signs” – please sign up at http://www.garyhooser.com to volunteer!

Campaign Schedule

TODAY – Friday October 21st 4pm until 6pm – Holding Signs in front of the Lihue Airport – Free t-shirts and signs!

Sunday October 23rd 6pm until 8pm – Reggae 4 Re-election “Get Up, Stand Up! Rise Up for Kauai!” Church of the Pacific in Princeville – Free Event! Music by Burning Bush and Friends!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1847525278817214/

Dear Friends,

The campaign is going well and our goal of winning strong on November 8th remains the prize upon which we remain unrelentingly focused.

Succeeding in the achievement of this goal depends on your help, support and involvement. Many of you have already given generously of both your time and your finances and I offer you my sincerest thanks for doing so.

The next three weeks are critical. Mail-in Absentee voting begins on or about October 20th. Over 60% of the votes will be cast via mail at this point or shortly thereafter.

We must push now even harder than ever and your physical presence at campaign events/activities is vital to maintaining the momentum. If you can’t help in person perhaps you can help spread the word or make a small financial contribution?

But over the next three weeks, your physical presence and help is most important. Please join us if you can at the below three events.

Friday October 7, 4pm-6pm Sign/Holding -Puhi Fronting Kauai Community College

Sunday October 9, 5pm-7pm – Opening of our Campaign Headquarters and 29 Day Homestretch Kick-Off event!  4524 Pouli Road next to Foodland in Waipouli, Kapaa – Food, Fellowship and Music – Free! https://www.facebook.com/events/527160440826736/

Friday October 14th, 4pm-6pm Sign/Holding – Across from Lihue Airport

To be clear, your physical presence at the above events is very important. Our campaign is fully charged and moving forward full speed ahead.

Your presence at these events will add even more energy and momentum – and is needed now during this very important upcoming three week period.

Thank you in advance for helping to spread the word and for joining us at the upcoming 3 events and for helping send the strongest message possible around the island!

Imua!

Gary Hooser
Questions? 652-4279

NOTE: Donations continue to be needed to fund our final media. Contributions may be made to Friends of Gary Hooser, 5685 Ohelo Road, Kapaa HI 96746 or online at http://garyhooser.com/donate-now/ No amount is too small and the maximum allowed by Hawaii law is $2,000 per individual. Mahalo to all!

We made it!

Am very pleased to announce that our campaign for re-election to the Kauai County Council has met and in fact exceeded our “matching funds” goal of $8,000!

Mahalo to the over 444 individual Kauai donors who have contributed $100 or less during this campaign and to the many others who have supported our efforts at various levels.

I believe we are the first and only Council campaign who has reached and exceeded this important milestone. The State of Hawaii will now match dollar for dollar those qualifying contributions up to almost $8,000!

Meeting this goal allows us to order and pay for the balance of the signs, banners, shirts, brochures and other materials necessary to continue moving forward with confidence.

In addition to exceeding our fundraising goal our campaign also is exceeding expectations in terms of volunteers signing up and showing up!

We recently held a “SignWaving” event in Lihue and the community came out strong. More people came out on this day than at any other similar event ever.

Please mark your calendars and join us for more Sign-Waving this coming Friday September 23rd from 3:30pm until 4:45pm in Puhi along the Hwy in front of Kauai Community College.

We are also looking for help phone banking and canvassing door-to-door: If you can help, please sign up to volunteer at http://tinyurl.com/helphooser

Mahalo so very much to everyone for “showing up” and taking an active role in our campaign for re-election to the Kauai County Council. Whether you are contributing funds to buy signs, banners and advertising, or you are a volunteer spending your valuable time helping the campaign – your help and support is much needed and greatly appreciated.

Our campaign is on track and with your continued help, we will win strong on November 8th. Imua!

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com

P.S. Yes, we continue to fundraise and now are targeting our “pre-voting media push” goal targeting October 1st when our mass media effort must begin. If you can help, please visit
http://garyhooser.com/donate-now/ or mail to Friends of Gary Hooser, 5685 Ohelo Road, Kapaa HI 96746

1) PLEASE JOIN US TODAY from 4pm until 6pm to hold signs across from the airport in Lihue. YOUR PRESENCE TODAY IS IMPORTANT to help send a message of strength and solidarity. There will be free signs, bumper stickers, shirts and more!

2) TODAY is our DEADLINE TO CLOSE OUT THE MATCHING FUNDS PORTION OF OUR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN and donations of $100 or less are especially important today.

Contributions may be made online here: http://garyhooser.com/donate-now/ or to “Friends of Gary Hooser”, 5685 Ohelo Road, Kapaa Hawaii 96746. The maximum contribution allowed by law is $2,000.

BOTTOM LINE: THE Campaign is on track to win but we need people/volunteers and we need campaign contributions.

Mahalo to the many who have already stepped up to help with contributions or personal time. Less than two months remain – please hang in there with me all the way to a strong win on November 8th!

If you have not yet done so, please help by volunteering TODAY here: Online Volunteer for Gary Sign-Up Form for Gary – http://tinyurl.com/helphooser

Please sign up to help walk door to door.

Or perhaps host a small “talk story with the Candidate coffee-hour” please let us know.

Or put a yard sign in your yard or a bumper sticker on your car!

In case the message is not absolutely clear – We can win and will win and win strong but for the next 55 days we need everyone to chip in, in whatever way they can.

Your help is especially important TODAY 🙂

Sincerely Yours,
Gary Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com
==============================================

Aloha Friends,

Only 57 days remain before the general election on November 8th. Our campaign has “rebooted”, we have a plan to win, we have a core team in place and now it is up to you.

We can win –and win big– if you and others in our community who share our values, dreams and goals for the future step forward to help.

My commitment is total. I will be working every single day from 5am until I drop at around 8:30 or 9pm. Others have stepped up and formed a solid core team of campaign volunteers, but if we want to make sure we win and win strong, we need more.

Bottom line: We need people/volunteers and we need campaign contributions.
Please help by volunteering today here: Online Volunteer for Gary Sign-Up Form for Gary – http://tinyurl.com/helphooser

Contributions may be made online here: http://garyhooser.com/donate-now/ or to “Friends of Gary Hooser”, 5685 Ohelo Road, Kapaa Hawaii 96746.

Donations are urgently needed now especially prior to September 16th so that we can reorder signs, banners, walking cards, shirts and support our media outreach. Contributions from Hawaii residents of $100 or less (aggregate per individual donor) may be matched with public funds and no contribution is too small. The maximum contribution allowed under Hawaii law is $2,000 per person.

We held our first campaign meeting for the General Election last night and the turn-out was strong with over 35 dedicated friends and new volunteers attending. Campaign funds also have started to come in and for both the people and the funds, I am grateful.

But to finish strong and ensure a win that sends a strong message of support for the values we hold dear, we need to significantly increase both the number of people who can physically help, and the amount of donations received.

Now is the time when your help is most needed.

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser

NOTE: On September 16th we are hosting a large “sign holding” event in Lihue across from the airport from 4pm until 6pm. Please join us and help send a strong message that we are in this to win and that the values we stand for represent all Kauai.

Aloha Friends,

Am hoping the Mark Twain quote brought a smile to your face 😉

Please know that I am alive and well, and fully engaged in our ongoing campaign for re-election to the Kaua’i County Council.  Our campaign is committed to winning on November 8th and I am committed to being an even stronger voice for you on the council.  I will continue to challenge the status quo (and win) in support of protecting our environment, preserving our quality of life and restoring faith and confidence in our government.

I was surprised and disappointed more Kaua’i residents who share our values, goals and vision for Kauai’s future did not show up to vote on August 13th.  The 34% voter turnout was abysmal and we have to work together to change that.

To restate the results, I finished #9 out of 13 candidates in the August 13th Primary.  To win re-election in the General Election on November 8th, I must finish in the top 7.  This is absolutely doable, but requires a redoubling of effort.  We must make sure those who share our values and vision for the future show up and vote on November 8th. 

There are several key areas upon which our winning strategy is based:

#1:  Most importantly, our supporters need to be informed as to the urgency of this Council election, so that they show up and vote in November.

Voters need to know that amendments to the Kaua’i General Plan which will guide development on Kaua’i for decades to come will be reviewed and voted on by the council that is elected November 8th.

Voters need to informed and reminded that if they want strong voices on the council who are willing to ask the questions and make the tough choices needed to protect our environment, preserve our quality of life and restore faith and confidence in our government – they need to show up and vote on November 8th.

#2: We need to organize our community. Those actively opposed to my reelection (the agrochemical industry and large landowner/developers) have shown in the Primary that they are organized. They are running a slate of candidates called the “super six” and they all finished in the top 6 slots during the Primary.

If all six were to win in November, the strong voices now on the council in support of the environment, controlled development and open government would be greatly diminished.  That is why we have to work extra hard to promote not only my candidacy, but those of other Council candidates who support a vision that puts the protection of people and the environment first.  Ask the tough questions, examine the past actions and accomplishments of each and every candidate and then limit your valuable votes to only those candidates who you truly believe will represent you and your values.

To win in November we need to expand and motivate our amazing, diverse and island-wide base of support.

#3: We must share our vision of the future. We need to contrast our values clearly against those candidates who; while they say they are “for the people” have shown that they inevitably make decisions that put development and profit ahead of people and the environment.

We can win this and win strong, but only if people understand clearly what is at stake and are motivated to act. There is so much on the line for Kaua’i in this election.

That is why I am asking you to please help today if you can!

1) We need volunteers to help with sign holding and many other activities.  Please email gary@garyhooser.com so I can add you to our volunteer list!

2) Campaign contributions are needed prior to September 1 to restock campaign supplies and increase a range of efforts to get our message out. http://garyhooser.com/donate-now/

3) Can you organize a “meet and greet house party or coffee hour” with 10 friends and neighbors?  This can be a simple hour-long gathering that provides your neighbors/friends an opportunity to share directly with me their individual concerns and priorities. Email gary@garyhooser.com

4) Would you be willing to offer a short (two or three sentences max) personal statement of support that I can publish in our public materials? Email gary@garyhooser.com

It goes without saying that it is an honor and a privilege to serve you on the Kauai County Council.  If you like the work I am doing on your behalf and would like me to continue in this service, I must have your active help and support in order to win on November 8th.  Please choose one of the ways above to join with “Team Hooser” and help create this win together!

Sincerely,

Gary Hooser

Note: We all know that there are many issues facing our community that need to be addressed. I have put forth my thoughts and positions on some of these key issues here:

https://garyhooser.wordpress.com/2016/07/21/where-i-stand-on-some-of-the-key-issues-facing-kauai-county/

*The Mark Twain quote is from the text of a cable sent by Twain from London to the press in the United States after his obituary had been mistakenly published (The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition)