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Former Gov. Linda Lingle, Hawaii’s sixth elected governor, has announced her candidacy for the United States Senate in the 2012 election. The open seat was created when Sen. Daniel Akaka stated he would not seek a fifth term.

“I always enjoyed working with Senator Akaka during my eight years as Governor,” Lingle said. “He always treated me with aloha even though we belonged to different political parties. Senator Akaka embodied the spirit of Aloha in Washington, D.C. and served the people of Hawaii with grace and dignity for 34 years.

“I am very appreciative of the encouragement I have received from our residents across the state about my run for Hawaii’s open U.S. Senate seat. Because of this support, and after much thoughtful deliberation, I am energized and enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve all the people of Hawaii in Washington,” Lingle said. “If elected, first, foremost and always, my decisions will put Hawaii people first as we decide the critical issues facing our state and country.”

Building on her experience as a five-term council member on Maui, two-term mayor of Maui and eight years as governor, Lingle will also bring her strong record of fiscal accountability and executive experience in economic development, stimulating job creation, international relations, clean energy and visitor industry issues to Washington.

Among her key policy achievements as governor, Lingle was able to gain wide support for programs and initiatives like the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education expansion for students statewide, improved mental health services, environmental protection initiatives, a big reduction in the number of children in foster care and a drastic reduction in child re-abuse rates, business and economic development and affordable housing construction, especially for the Native Hawaiian community.

Lingle will crisscross the state over the next 13 months to meet with residents, citizen groups, businesses and county leaders, as well as Hawaii’s military and veterans to discuss the issues that are of the highest priority to them at a national level.

“There is so much that needs to be done in Washington for our residents, and I want my fellow citizens to know their voice will be carried to the nation’s Capitol and their issues will be discussed at the highest level,” Lingle said. “The people deserve to have the best representation possible in Washington and I am honored that so many of our residents have encouraged me to be their voice.”

Major General Robert Lee, U.S. Army retired, former State Adjutant General and head of Hawaii’s National Guard during the Lingle Administration from 2002-2010, will serve as the campaign manager for the Linda Lingle Senate Committee.

“I’m excited to bring my local, national and international leadership experience to this important campaign, which I know will complement an incredibly talented team. Governor Lingle is the right person at the right time with the right approach to serve in Washington. Her balanced, practical approach to governing is what we need in this time of uncertainty for our state and nation,” Lee said.

Since the conclusion of her two terms as governor, Lingle has served as one of six founding members of the Governors Council at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a national public policy and advocacy organization in Washington, DC. The Council is composed of immediate former governors of both parties who have achieved a record of bipartisan success.

Lingle first served the people of Hawaii as a member of the Maui County Council from 1981-1991, and later as Mayor of Maui from 1991-1999. She was elected governor in 2002 and won an unprecedented majority of votes in all of Hawaii’s 51 House Districts in her 2006 re-election campaign.

Lingle on the issues:

Jobs and the Economy

My top priority will be federal policies and initiatives that will encourage job creation in the short term and create a vibrant and growing economy in the longer term. I will work every day to ensure that the nearly 14 million Americans who are currently looking for work can find gainful employment.

I intend to do this by putting businesses and workers at the center of the effort, with government playing a key supporting and facilitating role. I will focus on sectors of the economy that I believe will generate the greatest number of jobs in the shortest possible time both in Hawaii and across the nation.

This focus will include strong advocacy and support for expansion of the tourism industry, targeted and prioritized defense spending, an effective national approach to energy security and self-sufficiency, and passing and enforcing international trade and market access agreements.

In partnership with the private sector, government can spur job creation by instilling the certainty and confidence necessary for businesses to invest and to hire employees. Certainty and confidence come from sound and prudent fiscal policies, relief from regulatory burdens and lawsuit costs, and a fair and transparent tax system.

I would also propose a law requiring Federal agencies to conduct a jobs impact study prior to moving forward with major new rules and regulations. We need to take full account of the unintended consequences of regulatory burdens and the costs in lost jobs they create before we impose them on American workers, entrepreneurs and companies.

Government and the private sector should work together to address the gap between the skills of our labor force and the requirements of 21st century jobs. I am proud of my record as governor of Hawaii for focusing on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills for our public school graduates.

As senator, my foremost commitment is to an expanding economy that puts the people of our great country back to work by restoring certainty and confidence in government through prudent fiscal policies, reduced regulatory burdens and a fair tax system.

National Security and Defense

Ensuring the safety and security of our citizens is a fundamental responsibility of government. As Commander-in-Chief of the Hawaii National Guard, responsible for a Guard force numbering nearly 5,500 Soldiers and Airmen, I learned firsthand the immense responsibilities and sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform.

As governor, I also worked closely with the United States Pacific Command (PACOM) headquartered on Oahu and in charge of all military forces in the Pacific Theater. The military bases at Pearl Harbor, Fort Shafter, Schofield Barracks, Hickam, Kaneohe and military training facilities throughout our islands play a vital role in the protection of our nation and serve as a fundamental part of Hawaii’s economy and community.

Additionally, Hawaii is home for the U.S. Coast Guard’s 14th District that plays a vital role in the security of our ports and the patrolling of our surrounding ocean areas.

As senator, I will advocate for and work toward the preservation of America’s security forces that will insure stability and deterrence from armed aggression in the Asia-Pacific region. Much of the focus in the 21st century will be on the growing role the Asia-Pacific region will play in economic and security issues. Ensuring we have the appropriate level of military forces at a high state of readiness is in the best interest of Hawaii, our Nation, and our allies in the Asia- Pacific region.

The Asia-Pacific region is critical to our nation’s long-term economic and security interests. Not only has defense spending by major countries in the Asia-Pacific region grown significantly in the past five years, but the region has seen an increase in cyber-warfare, bio-security and human pandemic incidents in recent years, all of which represent threats to the United States and to Hawaii.

As senator, I will work to focus and prioritize U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security budgets to preserve and maintain resources in all of the forces in Pacific Command as well as the Hawaii National Guard and Reserves.

Asia-Pacific Economic Relationships

The top ten economies in the Asia Pacific region now account for over one-quarter of global GDP and for close to $1.1 trillion in trade with the United States. How we engage this fast-growing region will impact the economy and well-being of our nation and of Hawaii.

As governor of the only U.S. state that is also a part of the Asia-Pacific Region, I have had extensive interaction with the governments, businesses and people of this dynamic region. As senator, I will continue to focus on expanding our nation’s economic and trade relations through more effective management and engagement of our relationships with governments of the region.

Effective management of our Asia-Pacific relationships means bringing a more Pacific-focused understanding to our national commercial and trade policies that historically have been more Atlantic-centric. It also means effectively communicating the United States’ national interests and agenda to leaders and institutions of Asian and Pacific nations.

Effective engagement of the Asia-Pacific region means pursuing and enacting trade agreements to open new markets for U.S. and Hawaii companies. It also means aggressive enforcement of intellectual property protection and free-trade agreements to ensure fair competition and more opportunities for American businesses. I believe in a “trust, but verify” approach to free trade.

As senator, I intend to fully utilize bilateral, regional and multilateral institutions, such as the World Trade Organization and the East-West Center based in Hawaii, to more effectively pursue our nation’s trade, commercial, diplomatic and cultural interests in the Asia-Pacific region.

More effective management and engagement of the United States’ economic relationships with Hawaii’s neighbors in the Asia Pacific region will result in job creation and economic benefits for Hawaii and for the nation as a whole.

Visitor Industry

According to the U.S. Travel Association, tourism accounts for 9.5% of the U.S. economy, generating $1.8 trillion in annual spending. It is Hawaii’s most important industry. The visitor industry, including leisure, business-travel, cultural exchanges, and similar travel-related activities, employs an estimated 14 million Americans in jobs as diverse as hotel managers, airport greeters, interpretive guides, bus drivers and restaurant owners. The visitor industry impacts almost every state, city and geographic region in the United States.

Despite this importance to the national economy, at the federal level there is a lack of strong advocacy or coordinated policy regarding tourism-related issues. Unlike many other nations, the United States does not have a department with the responsibility for tourism. Instead, this responsibility is dispersed among three massive federal departments — the Department of Commerce, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security.

As the former mayor of the County of Maui and governor of the State of Hawaii, I have had extensive experience with fostering the development and refinement of the hospitality industry in a manner that respects the host culture while giving our visitors a memorable experience that encourages repeat visits.

As Senator, I intend to be an active policy advocate for the development and expansion of tourism as a key component of America’s economic recovery. I will work to develop a coordinated federal policy that includes expanding the visa waiver program and expediting the issuance of visas to overseas visitors without compromising national security.

Furthermore, I will work to foster public-private partnerships to re-invest in and revitalize our parks, national monuments, trails, beaches, and related infrastructure critical for both our own citizens as well as visitors to enjoy the natural and man-made wonders of this great nation.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, we can create 1.3 million new jobs simply by restoring the United States’ share of the travel market to its 2000 levels. I pledge to work towards this goal.

Energy

Energy security and self-sufficiency are vital to our national security, environmental protection, job creation, economic growth and long-term global stability.

Based on the success of my Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, acknowledged to be a national and international model, as Senator I will continue to work toward an effective and sensible federal energy policy.

Our national energy policy should address energy as a comprehensive system – including generation, new fuels, delivery, efficiency, emissions, and transportation.

Government’s regulatory effort should focus on facilitating activity by individuals, businesses and institutions that achieves real energy security and self-sufficiency. Regulatory and bureaucratic barriers to projects that achieve our energy goals need to be reduced or eliminated. Instead, the regulatory framework should foster the development of clean, green energy businesses and recognize the role the marketplace plays in commercial enterprises.

Government should encourage competition among solutions to achieve our national energy goals. Federal spending on energy should not focus on picking “winners and losers,” but on facilitating public and private investments in our country’s energy infrastructure for the 21st century, such as more efficient and secure electric grid systems that enable all traditional and renewable energy generation to be accommodated.

Serious consideration should be given to an “open fuels standard” which will ensure that new vehicles can run on a wide variety of fuel mixes, thereby letting competition decide which energy choices best meet our country’s needs for affordable and sustainable transportation energy.

As senator, I will work to achieve a sensible and effective national energy policy to achieve the long-desired result of a secure nation reaping the economic and jobs benefits of indigenous energy resources.

Bipartisanship

During my 30 years in public office, I have always worked with people of different political backgrounds — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — to find solutions to the problems we faced.

For part of my 10 years as a member of the Maui County Council, I was the lone Republican on the nine-member body. I was able to perform in an effective manner that motivated the voters to elect me mayor at the end of that decade of service. The people of Maui knew that I always put people before political party.

As mayor of Maui County I worked with Democrat Council members to keep Maui’s economy growing at a time when the rest of the state was experiencing economic difficulties. Together, we were successful in boosting tourism and fostering major film and digital media projects; building award-winning, program-based housing for the homeless; partnering with community groups to construct new senior citizen housing developments; and funding community-operated youth centers throughout the county.

I have always put people first. During my eight years as governor, my team and I worked successfully with a Democrat-controlled Legislature to enact groundbreaking legislation in the fields of energy independence, STEM education, and infrastructure modernization.

I partnered with Democrats at the local and national level to save thousands of jobs at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard when it was threatened with closure, fought off regulations that would have forced the closure of Hawaii’s two refineries, and worked closely with Senators and Congressmen of both parties to sponsor and hold hearings on the Akaka bill for native Hawaiian recognition.

When my time as governor ended last December, I was honored to be selected as one of six founding members of the Governors Council at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a national public policy and advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. The Council is composed of immediate former governors of both parties who have achieved a record of bipartisan success.

— Find out more:
www.lingle2012.com