Courtesy Kaniela Ing
Complaining that Hawaiʻi Democrats have grown too complacent to be effective, Oahu environmental activist Evan Weber, founder of the Sunrise Movement, and former state lawmaker Kaniela Ing, who previously held Rep. Tina Wildberger’s 11th District seat, have teamed up to form Our Hawai‘i Action, a Super PAC and 501(c)4 nonprofit, to steer the party to the left.
They began with an ad campaign criticizing U.S. Rep. Ed Case for stalling passage of President Biden’s $3.5 billion “Build Back Better” spending plan. Ing lost to Case in 2018 despite Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez visiting the islands to campaign on his behalf. Political grift, climate change, and food insecurity are all targets for the growing organization, whose leaders say they can’t wait for the toe-dragging Democrats in power to act on such important issues.
The group will not be required to disclose its donors—ironic for a group whose stated mission includes getting big money and corruption out of local politics. A recent campaign asked 2022 political candidates to refuse donations over $100 from a variety of special interests, including corporate PACs, lobbyists, big developers, resort hotels, energy monopolies, and military contractors.
