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The gubernatorial campaign that my supporters and I have been conducting over the last several months has been filled with many reasons why I’m seeking to be your governor.

Thanks to an exceptional team at the City and County of Honolulu, we developed a remarkable record of achievement, crafted sound and sensible budgets, built public-private partnerships, and brought people together to collaborate on shared goals. I hope to bring these skills and record to the State Capitol.

A wise man once told me, “Politics is 99 percent human relations.” A governor must be a leader of people. He must have those intangible interpersonal skills that bring people together and inspire them to work toward and achieve difficult goals. In other words, he must understand them as individuals and as a collective whole. He must share their sensibilities, their values, and their experiences.

That is a hard thing to convey through normal campaign channels, especially in this day and age when so much of our communication is so “high tech,” but impersonal. That is the irony of our times: that, at the same time that technology gives us so many avenues to communicate, we’ve lost the ability to really touch each other on a real and personal level.

That’s why it’s been so important for me to get out and meet as many of you as time allows. Because you do not connect with people through ads and slogans. You connect with them through a handshake, through listening to their concerns and questions, and by being available and open. As mayor of Honolulu, I believe I did that — to make a difference, not only through public policy but also on a personal level.

There is an illusion that a leader “leads.” But in reality, a true leader follows. He listens intently and then follows the will of those he leads to where they want to go. There may be disagreements on the actual route, but the destination is shared and the same. In our case, I believe our destination is a better Hawaii… not just for some of us, but for all of us.

We can reach that destination through a strong educational system, a healthy work ethic, support for our families, a communal spirit of aloha, and respect for the aina and for each other. These have always been the sources of our strength and uniqueness.

This election is about adversity and hope. We face a broken state budget, challenges in education, and a crushing economic downturn. But I believe that we must still do what is important and what is right. 

My parents raised me to never lose hope and to always help others. Now more than ever, we need to work together for… a better Hawaii. And with the honor of your vote, that is my promise: all of my energy and experience, heart and soul, for you.

Gail and I humbly ask for your support on September 18. Aloha and mahalo.

Mufi