Harry Kim (politician)
Harry Kim | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mayor of Hawaii County | |
| Assumed office December 5, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Billy Kenoi |
| In office December 4, 2000 – December 1, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen Yamashiro |
| Succeeded by | Billy Kenoi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1939 (age 84–85) ‘Ola‘a, Territory of Hawaii |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Bobbie Kim |
| Children | Two sons |
| Residence | Hilo, Hawaii |
| Alma mater | Southern Oregon State University |
| Profession | Civil Defense Director (retired) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Harry Kim (born 1939) is the Mayor of Hawaii County. He previously served as Mayor from 2000-2008. Prior to his election, he was the county's civil defense director.
Early Life
Kim was born to Korean-American immigrants, the youngest of eight children. He was raised in ‘Ola‘a in what was then the Territory of Hawaii (now Keaʻau, Hawaii). They resided in a one-bedroom house with no electricity or running water. He and his siblings would often work for the family business and perform other chores to the point where he was surprised when he learned of a typical weekend.[1]
He attended ʻOla'a School and Hilo High School. He then attended the University of Hawaii at Hilo and graduated from Southern Oregon State University. He served in the United States Army as a medic and was a teacher and coach. Kim served for 16 years as County Director of Civil Defense. As Director, Harry Kim would go on the radio and would update the residents of Hawai'i.
First Tenure as Mayor
Kim announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for mayor in 2000.[2][3] After defeating Democrat turned Republican State Representative Harvey Tajiri in the primary[4] Kim won the general election, receiving 50% of the vote. His opponents, Democratic candidate Fred Holschuh and Green Party candidate Keiko Bonk received 30 and 20 percent, respectively.[5]
In 2004, Kim ran for a second term, easily winning re-election.
While Kim first ran for mayor as a Republican, he considers himself to be nonpartisan.[3] Prior to running for mayor, his only visible political activity had been backing Democratic mayor Lorraine Inouye.[2] In 2006, prominent Democrats including former Governor Ben Cayetano, then-U.S. Representatives Neil Abercrombie and party chairman Mike McCartney encouraged Kim to run against Linda Lingle. On July 22, 2006, shortly before the filing deadline, he removed his name from consideration.[6][7]
During his time in office, Kim advocated, among other initiatives, recycling projects and the creation of a new County office complex in the place of the defunct Kaikoʻo Mall.[citation needed]
Hawaii Mayoral election, 2012
In 2012, Kim ran for Mayor once more against his successor and incumbent Billy Kenoi. Kim lost by a margin of 1,438 votes earning 49% to Kenoi's 51%.[8]
Return to the Mayor's Office
Kim said on Thursday, March 3, 2016, that he had decided to run again, this time on a campaign to restore trust in government. He was elected mayor once again in primary voting on August 13, 2016, when he received more than 50% of the votes cast in a field of 13 candidates (thereby avoiding a runoff election in November). [9] In keeping with a commitment he had made in every campaign, to accept no more than a $10 donation from any individual, Kim spent a total of $21,931 in 2016, with a per vote cost of $1.06. His nearest competitor spent $220,289, with a per vote cost of $22.11.[10]
References
- ^ "Where I'm From: Harry Kim, Big Island Mayor B.1939". Honolulu Magazine. Bolante, Ronna (interviewer) with Mark Arbeit (photographer). November 1, 2006. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b Thompson, Rod (July 20, 2000). "Kim enters Big Isle race for mayor as Republican". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ a b Bolante, Ronna (October 2003). "Harry Kim, Mayor of Hawaii County". Hawaii Business Magazine. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ Thompson, Rod (September 5, 2000). "Big Island Mayor: It's clear that voters are ready for a change, and now the question is, whose version of change will it be?". Retrieved December 3, 2016.
- ^ Thompson, Rod (November 8, 2000). "Kim a disaster for Big Isle opponents". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
{{cite web}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Borreca, Richard (July 22, 2006). "Big Isle mayor will not run: Mayor Harry Kim decides not to challenge Gov. Lingle". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
- ^ Borreca, Richard (November 14, 2005). "Cayetano urges Kim to run for governor". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
- ^ Nancy Cook Lauer (March 3, 2016). "Former Mayor Kim to run again". West Hawaii Today. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
- ^ "Kim Wins". Big Island Now. August 13, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
- ^ Hawaii Tribune Herald, September 6, 2016