In an era when Hawaii was becoming essentially a one-party state and Republicans were headed toward non-existence, State Rep. Gene Ward was a battler for conservative causes and candidates. He did so as it was obvious he was not going to any office beyond that of state representative from an East Honolulu district.
The Aloha State elected only one GOP governor since 1962 (Linda Lingle, who served from 2002-2010), last elected a Republican U.S. Senator in 1970, and boasted only three out of 25 state senators and six out of 52 state representatives. The Republican ranks in the House of Representatives were actually seven seats until April 2, when Minority Leader Ward, after 26 non-consecutive years in office, died at 82.
Ward knew the score and often told fellow Republican lawmakers: “We don’t have the votes, but we have a VOICE!”. This axiom he lived, in vociferously raising the causes of fiscal and cultural conservatism in a state that was “terra incognita” to both.
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