Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann is putting his support behind Kirk Caldwell in the mayor’s race.

In an email Wednesday (Oct. 17), Hannemann said, “As one who was elected twice to the position and who put together a team that led, shaped, and enhanced the county’s finances, public safety, wastewater, refuse, environment, tourism, intergovernmental, and transportation responsibilities, it’s important to note that Kirk Caldwell was a key member of that team. He not only proved to be an effective leader but he brought people together to focus on solutions.”

Hannemann continued: “Kirk’s experience as managing director and acting mayor, coupled with his plans and goals to take Honolulu, the nation’s 13th largest municipality, to the next level are both credible and achievable.”

Hannemann made clear his disdain for Caldwell’s opponent, former Gov. Ben Cayetano:

“During any campaign, be wary of candidates’ who spew pie-in-the-sky, feel-good rhetoric that has little hope for success. They twist or disregard the facts to make their case believable. For example, when it comes to our rail system, if expanding Honolulu’s highly successful bus system or implementing a bus rapid transit program would have been cheaper, more efficient, and accompanied by federal funding, I would have pushed that proposal instead of rail.”

—Chad Blair