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Janie Gueso
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Janie Gueso (Republican Party) ran for election to the Hawaii House of Representatives to represent District 40. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Gueso completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Janie Gueso was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her career experience includes working as a teacher. Gueso has been affiliated with the Ewa Beach Lion's Club and James Campbell High School Alumni Association.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 40
Rose Martinez defeated Janie Gueso in the general election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 40 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Rose Martinez (D) | 51.6 | 3,096 |
 | Janie Gueso (R)  | 48.4 | 2,901 | |
| Total votes: 5,997 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 40
Rose Martinez defeated Julie Reyes Oda and Wayne Kaululaau in the Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 40 on August 13, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rose Martinez | 47.6 | 1,213 |
 | Julie Reyes Oda | 27.7 | 707 | |
| Wayne Kaululaau | 24.6 | 628 | ||
| Total votes: 2,548 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 40
Janie Gueso defeated Michael Starr in the Republican primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 40 on August 13, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Janie Gueso | 55.8 | 833 |
| Michael Starr | 44.2 | 660 | ||
| Total votes: 1,493 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Janie Gueso completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gueso's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I was born and raised in District 40. I am a PROUD SABER of the class of the graduating class of 1994-James Campbell High School. I went on to become a member of the first graduating class of the University of Hawaii at West Oahu-Kapolei campus in December 2012, when I received my bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting. In 2008, I began my career as a preferred substitute teacher. Collaborating with teachers and administrative educators in the district forty community has helped me gain firsthand knowledge of the need for improving our public schools. In addition to my work as a substitute teacher, I also help to manage my family's business, Silva Store, which is a well-known staple in the Ewa Beach community. Since 1946, Silva Store has been serving the district forty community; and our family, the Pantastico ohana, has been running the store for the past 26 years. I enjoy being active with community service and often participate in homeless outreach, community clean-ups, food drives and food distribution events in my community. I am a member of the Ewa Beach Lion's Club and the James Campbell High School Alumni Association.
- I was born and raised in Ewa Beach. My family roots go back five generations in our District 40 community. My heart if for our community. Over the years, I have proven to be dedicated to making our community a better place for us to live through acts of community service, such as helping to provide meals for our local homeless community, helping to clean up our beaches, parks and illegal dump sites within our community, and helping with collecting and distributing food for our kupuna and members of our district 40 ohana who are in need. I continue to be enthusiastic about serving our community and I am willing to put in the work needed to make certain that our beloved Ewa Beach community will be a nourishing place for us to live.
- I relate well with the people of our community. I grew up going to the schools in our community and playing in our parks. I raised my children in our community and they went to the schools here and played sports at our community parks. Our family has been doing business in our District 40 community for almost three decades. I truly care and am passionate about helping to resolve the issues that are facing our community. I will remain accessible, approachable, accountable and I will work diligently to get the job done. I will be transparent in all my works as an elected official; and will always be willing to explain the reasoning in my decision-making processes.
- I am a "people over politics" person. I can work with both my Republican and Democratic colleagues in the House and in the Senate. I will work diligently to be sure that our District 40 community is rightfully represented at the state legislature. My main objective is to ensure that our community receives its fair share of community improvement funding, so that we are able to properly fund the projects and provide the services that we need to make Ewa Beach a safe, clean, thriving community for us and for our future generations.
I am most passionate about Education policies, however, I am most concerned with the state's budget and finance policies. The state needs to create other forms of revenue besides taxes and fines. We have been in a state of rough economic times for a while now, but now, the pandemic has left us in drastic economic times. Drastic times calls for drastic measures and it may be about time to pose the question of yes or no, for a state lottery, on the 2024 election ballot; OR at least seek public input on a state lottery program. Unlike allowing casino gambling, a state lottery can be easily revoked if it proves not to be a good fit for the state. I am also concerned with the state's policies on healthcare. The shortage of doctors and healthcare workers - especially in the area of mental health is plaguing the state. We must look at our current healthcare policies and see what areas need revision in order to stimulate the growth of our healthcare industry. Elections policies and Environmental policies are also very concerning to me. As State Representative for District 40, I would be willing to work with all my colleagues in the legislature to help research why and how current policies were implemented and also why and how any revisions should be made.
Relates well with the people of the community. Caring and compassionate. Positive role model. Accessible, approachable, and accountable. Works diligently to get the job done. Transparent in all their works as an elected official. Must have the willingness and ability to explain their reasoning in their decision-making processes.
I relate well with the people of our community. I have a well-rounded educational and professional background. I believe that having graduated from four of our local institutions of higher learning, combined with my work in the state Department of Education as well as my work with the Department of Defense, I have a vast knowledge base that will help guide me in my decision-making processes for my work within the state legislature. I am accessible, approachable, and accountable. I am a strong, healthy, able-bodied individual - I have the ability to work diligently to get the job done.
Staying connected with the people of our community. Always being aware of community issues and concerns of the people. Working diligently to represent our community as it relates to affairs of the state. Being transparent in all works. Being a positive role model for the community.
The first historical event in my lifetime that I can clearly remember is the space shuttle Challenger disaster. I was nine years old at the time. I was in the fourth grade, and that year for our GTE (Gifted, Talented, Enrichment) class at Kaimiloa Elementary School, we had an in-depth study of space, space travel and Halley's Comet. I remember my GTE teacher, Mrs. Hasegawa being so excited for the launch of the shuttle because NASA was sending teacher Krista McAuliffe on the Challenger mission. We had been studying and following the Challenger's mission trip for four months since the beginning of the school year. On the morning of the launch, I was watching the takeoff on live television while I was at home getting ready for school. As I watched the Challenger explode mid-air shortly after takeoff, I remember feeling shocked disappointed and sad. When I got to school, I went straight to Mrs. Hasegawa's classroom, and I remember she was sitting at her desk crying watching the news coverage of the incident on the class television. This is the first historical event of my lifetime that I remember.
'Where The Wild Things Are' has been my favorite book since I was child. I love the illustrations. Now I enjoy reading this book to my grandchildren.
Hawaii Aloha
The ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature would be that of open dialogue and accessibility for both majority and minority parties. The governor would serve as an unbiased leader of the state legislature, regardless of political party affiliation.
True diversification of the economy/Job creation
Bettering our public education system/ preparing our keiki for the future job market
Relieving the housing crisis/ alleviating homelessness
It could be beneficial if the previous experience yielded positive contributions to the society that the legislator served. However, every incumbent was once a first timer, and so, it is not necessary for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics in order to be capable of doing the job well. It is necessary, however, to have a heart to serve your community.
I do believe that it's beneficial to build relationships with other legislators. As with any other workplace, building positive relationships with co-workers helps us to be able to be successful in the work that we do.
Community input should always be part of the redistricting process.
Being a first-time candidate, I would want to get more information on ALL committees including details on the roles and responsibilities of each committee and its members.
I would like to model myself after former longtime Ewa Beach representative Paul T. Oshiro. I remember seeing him walk through the streets of the district knocking on doors and meeting with people at their homes. He would go door to door even when it wasn't election time. He personally knew many members of the community and he was on a first name basis with most. I remember him attending many all of the school's functions from back when I was in elementary school. His love for our Ewa Beach community was evident in all that he did. It seemed everyone in the community loved him because he was very personable, and he truly cared about the people of our community.
Not at this time.
As I was going door to door this past weekend, I met a Filipino couple who are longtime residents of our community. The husband proceeded to tell me that his wife was diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Due to the pandemic, the restaurant that she worked at for 22 years was shut down and closed permanently. He told me that his wife immigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines when she was18 years old, and that she has been working in the restaurant industry ever since she arrived here. After losing her job of 22 years, she developed an anxiety disorder. The woman's doctor encouraged her to apply for disability benefits through the social security e needs the assistance of social security. program, but both the husband and the wife have no idea how to apply for benefits. The wife told me that they have never received any state or federal welfare or disability benefits, because they have always worked to provide for their family. She told me that even when their children were young, they never received free meals at school because she and her husband always made good enough income, but that at this time in her life, she needs the assistance. I assured them that I would call around on Monday morning and find out the information they need to begin the process of applying for disability benefits. I was able to relay this information back to the couple and now they are in the process of applying for the benefits that they need and deserve. This experience was impactful for me because it made me think about other people in my community that have been lifelong workers and may need assistance during these rough economic times and who may not know how to go about getting the help that they need and qualify for. This made me realize the true importance of campaigning door to door - which is getting to personally know as many members as possible of my district forty ohana, so that they are comfortable to share their concerns; and so, I can help them find resolutions.
State legislators should seek the input from the people of their communities regarding granting the use of emergency powers.
I do believe that compromise is necessary for policymaking. It may not be desirable for the people who are affected on either side of the issues, but it is necessary to be able to come to a mutual agreement regarding the decision making for the laws of society.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 31, 2022
Current members of the Hawaii House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Nadine Nakamura
Majority Leader:Sean Quinlan
Minority Leader:Lauren Matsumoto
Representatives
District 1
Matthias Kusch (D)
District 2
Susan Lee Loy (D)
District 3
Chris Todd (D)
District 4
Greggor Ilagan (D)
District 5
Jeanne Kapela (D)
District 6
Kirstin Kahaloa (D)
District 7
Nicole Lowen (D)
District 8
David Tarnas (D)
District 9
Justin Woodson (D)
District 10
Tyson Miyake (D)
District 11
Terez Amato (D)
District 12
Kyle Yamashita (D)
District 13
Mahina Poepoe (D)
District 14
Elle Cochran (D)
District 15
Nadine Nakamura (D)
District 16
Luke Evslin (D)
District 17
Dee Morikawa (D)
District 18
Joe Gedeon (R)
District 19
Mark Hashem (D)
District 20
District 21
Jackson Sayama (D)
District 22
District 23
Ikaika Olds (D)
District 24
Adrian Tam (D)
District 25
Kim Iwamoto (D)
District 26
Della Belatti (D)
District 27
Jenna Takenouchi (D)
District 28
Daniel Holt (D)
District 29
Ikaika Hussey (D)
District 30
Shirley Templo (D)
District 31
Linda Ichiyama (D)
District 32
Garner Shimizu (R)
District 33
Sam Kong (D)
District 34
Gregg Takayama (D)
District 35
Cory Chun (D)
District 36
Rachele Lamosao (D)
District 37
Trish La Chica (D)
District 38
Lauren Matsumoto (R)
District 39
Elijah Pierick (R)
District 40
Julie Reyes Oda (R)
District 41
David Alcos (R)
District 42
Diamond Garcia (R)
District 43
Kanani Souza (R)
District 44
Darius Kila (D)
District 45
Chris Muraoka (R)
District 46
Amy Perruso (D)
District 47
Sean Quinlan (D)
District 48
Lisa Kitagawa (D)
District 49
Scot Matayoshi (D)
District 50
Michael Lee (D)
District 51
Lisa Marten (D)
Democratic Party (42)
Republican Party (9)
