by Andrew Walden

Former Congressional candidate Shirlene Ostrov is the new Chair of the Hawaii Republican Party.  That’s the outcome of the 2017 Hawaii Republican Party Convention meeting May 13 on at the Kauai Beach Resort in Lihue.

After the defeat of Sen Sam Slom last November, Hawaii is the only state to have a one-party Senate.  No state has a one-party House.  Keynote speaker Rep Charles Djou told the 359 delegates, “These are some pretty tough times.  For the first time since the Jim Crow days, Republicans have been excluded from a house of the Legislature.” 

After presentations by State Chair candidates Shirlene Ostrov and Rep Andria Tupola and 14 candidates for seven other Party offices, the voting favored Ostrov and her downticket slate:

• State Chair - Shirlene Ostrov 245 – Andria Tupola 111
• Vice Chair for Coordinated Campaigns - Pat Saiki 201 – Henry Vincent 152
• Vice Chair for Candidate Recruitment - Lorraine Shin 208 – Ka’eo Kealoha-Lindsey 145
• Vice Chair for Communications - Jonathan Kunimura 213 – Stephanie Boland 141
• Vice Chair for Community Service - Mele Songsong 212 – Kaiwiola Coakley 143
• Vice Chair for Coalitions - Cheryl Sora 189 – Kelly Kitashima 164
• Secretary - Jennifer Anderson 214 – Fern Mossman 139
• Treasurer - Gwen Honjo 243 – Mark Storfer 110

Delegates also approved a Treasurer’s report, resolutions and changes to the Party rules.  One of the approved rules changes reverses an earlier decision authorizing sale of Party HQ and instead prohibits any sale without approval of a majority of the 78 members of the Hawaii GOP State Committee.

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Representative Tupola Congratulates the New HRP Chair

News Release from Rep Andria Tupola   May 15, 2017

HONOLULU, HAWAII – Representative Andria Tupola (R-43 - Ewa Villages, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale, Nanakai Gardens, Ko Olina, Kahe Point, Nanakuli, Lualualei, Maili) released the following statement congratulating newly elected Chair of the Hawaii Republican Party, Shirlene Ostrov and the new team of executive officers.

Two slates of candidates presented themselves to the delegates of the Hawaii Republican Party bringing out over three hundred people to this year’s convention.  

“As we move forward as a party, we are excited to work with our new Chair and State Executive Committee to bring the change the people of Hawaii so desperately need,” said Tupola.

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Mahalo from Your New Chair

Aloha Fellow Republicans,     May 15, 2017

Thank you to all who played a role in executing an enormously successful state convention on Kauai this past weekend.  Seeing over 350 Republicans together, focusing on different opportunities to rebuild our party here in Hawaii, was an incredible experience.  You were asked to choose between two teams, each filled with incredibly talented, compelling, successful and passionate individuals, and I am grateful to each and every candidate for volunteering to sacrifice so much for our party.  My team and I are humbled and honored that you placed your trust in us to strengthen our brand and elect more Republicans into office.  We will not let you down.

We've obviously got a long road and daunting challenges ahead of us.  This weekend gave me a chance to speak to a wide range of party members and I’ve found no shortage of enthusiasm to make the Hawaii GOP the party of real choice. We will be communicating with you often, and reaching out to everyone for help. Rebuilding the party will be a team effort!  I know we can succeed if we band together, and I look forward to working shoulder-to-shoulder with all of you. 

In addition to the excitement of this weekend's convention, I hope we all had a chance to remember that yesterday, on Mother’s Day, we had the time to honor the women who have dedicated themselves to one of the hardest and most fulfilling jobs that life has to offer.

We ask for your patience as the next few weeks will be characterized by a flurry of activity as my team focuses on the transition of key issues for our party. However, I wanted to assure you that we are fast moving forward and that the Hawaii Republican Party is "Open for Business" and welcome volunteers, donors, and any candidates to come in and help wherever you can...there's room for everyone!  We have 539 days until the November 2018 elections, and we don't have a single second to waste. 

With warmest aloha,

Shirlene Ostrov

Chair, Hawaii Republican Party

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HONOLULU GOP: New Chair Elected, Time to get to Work!

HIGOP: Election Results 

SA: Retired Air Force colonel is elected to lead isle GOP

SA: Root for isle GOP to regain footing

SA: New energy could revive long-flagging Hawaii GOP

HNN: Retired Air Force officer, businesswoman elected chair of Hawaii's GOP

KITV: The Hawaii Republican Party has a new chair

KGI: GOP Selects Ostrov: State party chair promises ‘to provide restraint, discipline and integrity’