Ed Tanji's column ("Haku Mo'olelo, Aug. 17) calling for an all-Democrat U.S. Senate team from Hawaii got it wrong.
There is no benefit for the people of Hawaii to continue this practice.
He rightly identifies that the U.S. Senate could swing to a Republican majority but that may happen regardless of the outcome of Hawaii's U.S. Senate race. He fails to consider that if the control shifts, what could be better than having a senator from Hawaii who is a member of the political party that holds the majority? Who would be better than Linda Lingle, who has a long track record of working with both parties instead of blind political party loyalty? It is just common sense.
Her election to the U.S. Senate will be Hawaii's victory because it will mean a step toward changing the hyper-partisan atmosphere in Washington, and will guarantee Hawaii having a seat at both parties' tables.
When Tanji extols the virtues of bipartisanship, cooperation, communication and compromise, he gets it right. These are qualities that Hawaii voters immediately associate with one political figure above all others: Lingle. How else could he explain her more than 25 years of elected public office, much of that serving as a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democrat-dominated state? People voted the individual, not the party.
The people know Lingle best, and we know that she has always put people first. She will serve all of us well.
Bruce Schaefer
Kihei
