Democrat David Ige leads in the polls in the race for Hawaii governor, and he’s raised more money than Republican Duke Aiona.

In another category often overlooked, Ige has also held nearly twice as many campaign fundraisers as Aiona since the Aug. 9 primary.

Ige has held 17 total, the most recent ones being a $1,000 per head event at Morton’s Steakhouse and a $1,000 per head event at The Plaza Club.

Both fundraisers were held Monday, and the Plaza Club fundraiser was chaired by Bill Kaneko, who was campaign manager for Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s unsuccessful re-election bid.

Bill Kaneko Abercrombie Campaign Manager 8.10.14

Abercrombie Campaign Manager Bill Kaneko, Democratic Party Unity Breakfast, Aug. 10, 2014.

PF Bentley/Civil Beat

Aiona, meanwhile, has held or scheduled nine fundraisers since the primary, the most recent a $100 per head event on Kauai set for this evening.

Aiona also held a fundraiser yesterday at Jade Dynasty Seafood Restaurant at Ala Moana Center asking $2,000 per person.

Mufi Hannemann, the Hawaii Independent Party’s nominee, has held just two fundraisers since the primary. Libertarian Jeff Davis has held none, according to the state Campaign Spending Commission records.

Ige’s aggressive fundraising activity is in marked contrast to his campaign during the primary election, where he held just seven fundraisers between May 2013 and August 2014.

Abercrombie, the incumbent Ige defeated, held 34 fundraisers during that same timeframe and raised about 10 times what Ige pulled in. To little avail.

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