Fast cash for challengers: Two well-known state legislators are challenging U.S. Rep. Ed Case in Hawaiʻi’s 1st Congressional District race next year, and the early results are in.

Well, the early financial results, that is. Very early, considering that state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole only announced his candidacy July 29 and Rep. Della Au Belatti joined the race Sept. 25.

Still, The Sunshine Blog is intrigued by the Federal Election Commission’s third-quarter campaign contribution numbers, because for the period from July 1 to Sept. 30, Keohokalole reported raising $228,003 to Case’s $108,891.

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Belatti’s campaign was only five days old when this period ended and she still reported raising $34,964.

The incumbent had a big advantage in cash on hand as of Sept. 30, however, with $581,148 to Keohokalole’s $172,435 and Belatti’s $34,174. (Looks like Keohokalole spent a good chunk of money on consulting, advertising and voter research services.)

It’s a long time before next year’s Aug. 8 Democratic primary, of course. But in an increasingly polarized political environment, it’s not hard to imagine one or both of the progressive challengers mounting a significant challenge to the more moderate Case, who has served in Congress off and on since 2002.

Keohokalole’s Windward Oʻahu Senate seat is not on the ballot next year, so he can keep the post if he’s not elected to Congress. Belatti’s campaign means she won’t be seeking reelection to her Makiki House seat.

Legislators, by the way, cannot transfer their state campaign funds into a federal campaign.

The tunnel to nowhere: Hawaii News Now and CNN were among the news organizations calling foul on President Donald Trump last week for his attempt to make Hawaiʻi U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono out to be, well, an idiot.

During a media availability while he was meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, Trump decided to throw out there that Hirono had once wanted to build a tunnel from the mainland to Hawaiʻi and if that wouldn’t work then a railroad.

Turns out Trump was continuing to mischaracterize something Hirono said in 2019. He got it wrong then too but seems intent to, uncaringly, repeat the same old stuff.

As HNN reported, during the press event last week the president said, “Well, we had a senator that wanted, remember from Hawaii, she wanted a tunnel from the mainland to Hawaii, and she said, ‘Well, we can’t do that, so we’re gonna build a railroad to Hawaii.

“Do you remember? She’s a current sitting senator, a Democrat. She wants a railroad to go to Hawaii, right? You know who that is, right?” he said.

But, as CNN also reported, Hirono never called for a tunnel or rail. (That would need to run about 2,500 miles across the Pacific. Sheesh.) CNN linked to a 2019 story that explained the whole exchange Hirono had with a reporter which was really about the Green New Deal and what it might mean for travel to Hawaiʻi and air travel.

That story, by the way, was headlined “Trump makes 90 false claims during final two weeks of 2019.” So from back in the day when people were still trying to keep track of all the times the president fudged the truth.

Hirono on Friday called Trump’s dig at her “Yet another unhinged Trump comment.”

And life goes on in the nation’s capital.

And the semi-finalists are: The Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi has decided on three names to send to Gov. Josh Green to choose from to replace soon-to-be-leaving-to-become-a-lobbyist Sen. Henry Aquino in District 19.

They are, according to a Dem Party press release:

● Steven Canales, who’s retired from a utility company, an ex-shop steward for a local union, City and County of Honolulu lifeguard for Pearl City Recreation, and a community organizer for DPH’s Region 5.
● State Rep. Rachele Lamosao of House District 36, representing the community of Waipahu. She’s a former Waipahu Neighborhood Board member and a former member of the Waipahu High School Academy of Natural Resources Advisory Board.
● Dr. Inam Rahman, a Waipahu-based physician, small business owner and former legislative assistant who has served as past president of the Hawai‘i Medical Association and founded a nonprofit clinic focused on diabetes care.

Previously the Senate District 19 list included former Rep. Kaniela Ing, former Rep. Rida Cabanilla and former Department of Human Services administrator Daisy Hartsfield.

Green has until Jan. 29 to make a pick.

Public service announcement: And speaking of legislative jobs, the state House is hiring. Yes, all wannabe politicos and public servants, the lines are open to apply for a gig as session help.

Here’s how a press release from the House last week seeks to entice residents to put in for the jobs:

“Have you ever been interested in learning about the inner workings of the State Government? Do you want to help make your State a better place to live and work? Would you like to assist your neighbors when they have questions or concerns and help guide them in resolving issues? If so, there may be a place in the House of Representatives for you.”

The positions include legislative aide, committee clerk/researcher, program budget analyst, data-entry clerk, receptionist, service aide, support staff for remote hearings, legislative attorney and more.

The jobs start in December or January and run through May. Salaries vary. Benefits included.

Here’s the posting that gives info on how to apply or send a resume and cover letter to resume@capitol.hawaii.gov.

The next session is set to begin Jan. 21.

Fancy meeting you here: A picture says 1,000 words but on this one the backstory is cute too. It seems University of Hawaiʻi political science professor Colin Moore has been in Europe on a sabbatical this semester. His mom and brother planned a trip to Basque Country where his great-grandparents are from.

So the Moore family shows up for the tour and runs smack into former Civil Beat Managing Editor Jim Simon and his wife, Lori Fujimoto. They’d been traveling in Northern Spain for a few weeks (ah, retirement must be grand) and had signed up for this 25-person Rick Steves tour.

The photo, Moore says, is from “a farm where we all made sheep cheese — or something closer to sheep yogurt, since the real cheese takes a couple months to finish.”