the WEST side of the Big Island tends to be more conservative...we have Paul Whalen(State Senator)..and we have Council Members Curt Tyler and Joe Reynolds(both Republicans) and Mayor Harry Kim (Republican) and State Representative Mark Jernigan (Republican)..but having said that, we have the disadvantage of the County seat situated in Hilo where liberals prevail...Kauai has a Republican Mayor(Joanne Kusaka)...and Maui dumped their one-term democrat Mayor Kimo Apana for Republican Alan Arakawa during the last election cycle...i think it is an indication of the population putting their progeny ahead of themselves...apologies for the longwinded soliloquy...ALOHA!!