Message to supporters from Duke Aiona, January 2, 2015

The defection of Aaron Johanson to the Democratic Party is very disappointing. Noting that his decision “to switch parties has been gradual and deliberative over the past four years and that he was elected despite being a Republican,” is even more disturbing.

A significant portion of the 300,000 plus registered voters, who did not cast a ballot this past election, is a result of their lack of trust in the character, integrity, and motives of the candidates and incumbents seeking election.

Through his own admission, Johanson had no intention of beginning and finishing his term as a Republican, simply because he was at odds with members in his party and thus he needed to evaluate where he belonged and where he was.

Forget about what ideology, values, principles, and support he solicited and campaigned upon as a Republican to his constituents and members of the Republican Party, for Johanson his decision to switch parties about a month after the election was purely about him. It is this kind of insincerity, transparency, and lack of integrity which perpetuates the disrespect that voters continue to receive from today’s politicians.

But for me the biggest disappointment of Johanson’s decision to switch parties is his hypocrisy in stating that he wants to be a leader who can find common ground and make a difference. Playing to the fiddle of the majority party simply because you are at odds with members of your party is not only selfish, immature, and disingenuous, but only perpetuates and solidifies the imbalance of our state government through the dominance of a one party system.

The one party super majority that we have in this state does not promote common ground and is a status that a majority of the 300,000 plus non-voters recognize and have confirmed through their non participation in the political process.

Aaron Johanson’s decision to switch parties enhanced the lack of trust, respect, and balance that today’s voters continuously receive from politicians who are motivated by their leadership status and future political elections.

I remain committed to a two party system that will promote trust, respect, and balance in our political process.

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