David Ige/photo:HPI
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Star-Advertiser/Hawaii NEWS Now poll shows David Ige ahead by 18 points
August 3, 2014
Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Ige's campaign staff is "very happy and strongly encouraged" with the results of the newest Star-Advertiser/Hawaii NEWS Now poll reported in this morning's Star-Advertiser. The statewide voter survey shows state senator Ige with an 18-point lead (54%) over incumbent and fellow Democrat Neil Abercrombie (36%). The poll results are the third consecutive independent poll showing David Ige leading since May 2014. If carried through this coming Saturday, it would be the first time in Hawaii that a challenger unseats a Democratic incumbent governor.
Sharing the good news with his hard-working supporters this morning, David said, “This is a great boost for all of us, and I urge you to keep talking to your family and friends over the next six days and remind them to vote. Working together we continue to move forward for Hawaii. I am honored by the outpouring and generosity of my supporters’ time, and I ask you to stay strong this final week to ensure our efforts equate to victory on Saturday, August 9.”
David Ige’s campaign resources are meager compared to Abercrombie's. Built on Hawaiian grassroots, the Ige campaign has less than $500,000, versus the incumbent's millions.
Last week state senator David Ige released his action plan for the state if elected the next governor of Hawaii, Engineering Hawaii's Future, which was posted last Tuesday on his website, davidige.org. The plan lays out Senator Ige's agenda on issues including tourism, technology, environment, energy, agriculture, homelessness and open government. “I have waited until now to release my full action plan because I felt it was important to first hear directly from the people I’m asking to serve before making any proclamations,” Senator Ige said. “I’ve spent the last year of this campaign traveling across Hawaii, from island to island, listening to citizens. As I have served as a legislator the past 29 years, I will be a governor who listens to the concerns of the people, brings stakeholders together for meaningful dialogue and develops innovative solutions to the major issues facing our state.”
Reared in Pearl City along with five brothers, Ige attended public schools, earning a degree in electrical engineering and an MBA in Decision Sciences from UH, where he met his wife Dawn. Their three children are now in college. Over the past 34 years Senator Ige has maintained his job as an electrical engineering manager. For 29 of those years he was a state legislator in both the house and senate, serving on a range of committees. He has been chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee for the past four years.
This coming primary election day, Saturday, August 9, Ige will be with his family, friends and supporters at his campaign headquarters in The Varsity Building, 1110 University Avenue, Honolulu. He will stream messages live on his website, www.davidige.org, after the polls close.
The winner of Saturday's election will face candidates from other parties in November — notably Duke Aiona, Republican, who has strong support among voters and will be a tough opponent.
