Two longtime West Maui politicians are looking to head in a new direction, with one venturing from county to state politics and the other hoping to move from the state House to the state Senate.

Former Maui County Council Member Elle Cochran, who held the West Maui residency seat from 2011 to 2019 and unsuccessfully ran for mayor against Michael Victorino in 2018, has pulled papers for the state House District 14.

The seat is currently held by incumbent Angus McKelvey. Due to reapportionment, the district number will change from 10 to 14 and will now encompass West Maui, Kahakuloa and Waihee.

McKelvey is seeking to enter the state Senate and has pulled papers for the Senate District 6 seat representing South and West Maui. The district now includes Legends at Maui Lani in Kahului and Waikapu Gardens due to redistricting.

The seat is currently occupied by longtime Sen. Rosalyn “Roz” Baker. In an email Wednesday, Baker said she was not yet ready to give a statement on her candidacy, noting that she is currently in session at the Legislature and that is her focus.

Baker has not yet pulled papers for her current seat, according to the latest candidate filing report by the state Office on Elections on Friday afternoon. Filing runs through June 7.

McKelvey, who expects the Senate District 6 seat to be vacated, said he wants to take his 17 years in the House to the Senate.

“The best way I can serve Maui Nui and the communities is to be in the state Senate and provide a strong cohesive voice to build a great team,” McKelvey said on Thursday.

He said the Maui County Senate delegation is known to be a “tight-knit” group, and “I feel like I can be a very strong partner to them.”

McKelvey also pulled papers for the U.S. House of Representatives 2nd Congressional District, which includes parts of Oahu and the Neighbor Islands, but said this week he will run for the state Senate seat instead.

Others who have pulled papers for the Senate District 6 race are Shaina Forsyth, a Democrat from Lahaina, and Sheila Walker, a Republican from Kihei.

The director of residences at Montage Kapalua Bay, Forsyth was born and raised on Maui and attended West Maui schools until her family moved to California in 2002 before her senior year at Lahainaluna High School.

She attended college on the mainland, earning degrees in engineering geology and environmental science and management, before eventually moving back to Lahaina in 2010.

“I have a passion for our west side community and I want to help serve in public office,” she said in an email this week. “Maui is so special and unique and as I have grown older, I have come to appreciate Maui more and more.”

She also wants a younger generation of leaders to emerge and looked to herself to make a difference.

Walker was the lead organizer in last year’s failed recall of Mayor Victorino.

She said she is running because “basically over 50 years, there has only been one party represented here and we are not better off because of it,” pointing to issues like the high cost of living and imported food.

Walker, a former business owner in clothing manufacturing, said she’s lived in many other states as well as outside the country and can bring a different perspective to things in Hawaii.

“I’m willing to be bold, I’m willing to do the right thing and I have the courage to stand up to the establishment,” Walker said.

Meanwhile Cochran, who took some time away from politics after a long stint on the council and the 2018 mayor’s race, said she’s ready to throw her hat back in the ring.

“I took a couple of years break. I’m now ready and raring to go,” Cochran said in an email this week.

She said she pulled papers for the House District 14 seat after speaking to McKelvey, who indicated he would not seek reelection to his House seat. She pointed out that an open seat is an easier option than running against an incumbent.

“I’m enthusiastic to learn about a new level of government. I’m looking forward to bringing my Maui County knowledge to the state level along with the voice of the people in District 14,” Cochran said.

Lahaina resident Kanamu Balinbin has also pulled papers for the House District 14 race.

Balinbin has run for political office before, most recently losing to McKelvey in the 2020 race for District 10, and is a chef and owner of Nalu Grindz and Intimate Catering.

He said he is running as he feels the community and Native Hawaiians need to get more involved in the political and lawmaking process.

He also wants to ensure that West Maui and the island of Maui gets its “fair share” of money that it brings into the state.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.

OFF TO THE RACES

Dozens of candidates have pulled papers to run for political office since the filing period began March 1. Here are the Maui County residents who have pulled papers as of Friday afternoon, according to the state Office of Elections:

U.S. SENATOR:

• Michael (Mike) Kokoski, Libertarian

GOVERNOR:

• Selina T. Blackwell, Aloha Aina

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 5 (Wailuku, Waihee, Kahului):

• Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran, Democratic*

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 6 (South and West Maui, Legends at Maui Lani, Waikapu Gardens):

• Shaina Forsyth, Democratic

• Angus L.K. McKelvey, Democratic

• Sheila Walker, Republican

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 9 (Kahului, Puunene, Old Sand Hills, Maui Lani):

• Tina (Pedro) Gomes, Democratic

• Sam (Kamuela) Peralta, Democratic

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 10 (Central Maui, including Wailuku, Waikapu):

• Troy Hashimoto, Democratic*

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 11 (Kihei, Wailea, Makena, including Kealia Pond):

• Terez (T. Amato) Amato, Democratic

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 12 (Pukalani, Makawao, Kula, Ulupalakua, Keokea):

• Dan Johnson, Republican

• Summer Starr, Democratic

• Kyle T. Yamashita, Democratic*

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 13 (Haiku, Hana, Kaupo, Kipahulu, Paia, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Kahului Airport and Sprecklesville):

• Scott Adam, Republican

• Linda Ha’i Clark, Democratic*

• Nick Nikhilananda, Green

• Chase (Kealiimalu) Nomura, Democratic

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 14 (West Maui, Kahakuloa, Waihee, part of Waiehu):

• Kanamu Balinbin, Democratic

• Elle Cochran, Democratic

OHA MAUI RESIDENT TRUSTEE (nonpartisan)

• Carmen Hulu Lindsey*

MAUI COUNTY MAYOR

(nonpartisan)

• Richard (Rick) Bissen

• Alec J. Hawley

• Alana Kay

• Jonah M. Lion

• Mike Molina

• Mike Victorino*

MAUI COUNTY COUNCIL (nonpartisan)

East Maui:

• Claire Kamalu Carroll

• Shane Sinenci*

West Maui:

• Rick Nava

• Tamara Akiko Maile Paltin*

• Lee Aaron (Okamura) Yap

Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu:

• Alice Lee*

Kahului:

• Cara Flores

• Tina (Pedro) Gomes

• Tasha Kama*

• Carol Lee Kamekona

• Jack W. (Jason) Schwartz

• Keoni Watanabe

South Maui:

• Tom Cook

• Robin Knox

Makawao-Haiku-Paia:

• Dave DeLeon

Upcountry:

• Yuki Lei Kashiwa Sugimura*

Molokai:

• Keani Rawlins-Fernandez*

• John Pele

*Indicates incumbent