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Tim Riley (Hawaii)
Tim Riley (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Hawaii State Senate to represent District 21. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 11, 2018.
Riley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Tim Riley earned a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University, a master's degree from Georgia State University, and a Ph.D. from Clark-Atlanta University. His professional experience includes working as a mental health counselor.[1]
Elections
2018
- See also: Hawaii State Senate elections, 2018
General election
Incumbent Maile Shimabukuro defeated Diamond Garcia in the general election for Hawaii State Senate District 21 on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for Hawaii State Senate District 21
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Maile Shimabukuro (D) | 58.9 | 5,808 |
 | Diamond Garcia (R) | 41.1 | 4,049 | |
| Total votes: 9,857 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = 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
Incumbent Maile Shimabukuro defeated Tim Riley in the Democratic primary for Hawaii State Senate District 21 on August 11, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hawaii State Senate District 21
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Maile Shimabukuro | 86.8 | 3,945 |
 | Tim Riley | 13.2 | 601 | |
| Total votes: 4,546 | |||
| = 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
Diamond Garcia advanced from the Republican primary for Hawaii State Senate District 21 on August 11, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Hawaii State Senate District 21
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Diamond Garcia | 100.0 | 1,314 |
| Total votes: 1,314 | |||
| = 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
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tim Riley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Riley's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
1. Traffic; Traffic on the westside is beyond intolerable. This issue is literally causing a problem in quality of life here on the westside. Our current administration has had ample time to resolve the issue and yet here we are STILL wasting time, money and stress on this issue. We must build alternate routes to this side. We do so with strict reverence to historical and spiritual sites being protected. We must access federal funds to do this. We must become a squeaky wheel until we get this issue resolved. Our local representation should have been working with our national representation to have this done LONG AGO!!! No more excuses are acceptable, GET IT DONE!!! 2. Affordable housing, Houselessness/Homelessness; I have been very active and vocal here on the west side with regards to this issue. We must help the houseless/homeless population gain safe dwellings. I have already begun reaching across the isle to build coalitions with the GOP and other Democrats to address these issues. I was even able to get some better known westside GOP signatures on my petition to place my name on the ballot for this State Senate seat. There are many things we can do to fix the houseless/homeless issue. It is not an easy task but a cost effective and obtainable solution to the problem is obtainable. Regarding general affordable housing we must think outside the box and work to secure alternative means of funding for TRULY AFFORDABLE housing. One way to do so would be to either allow the lottery to come in to our state and earmark some of the revenue for programs to help assist buyers of resident occupied homes or permanet resident renters . Another alternative method of funding would be hemp farming or legalized cannabis consumption and farming. We can earmark some of the taxation of the products for these issues. Hempcrete is also a way to help elevate the houseless/homeless issue. Please understand I am not a consumer of any mind altering chemicals or alcohol at all. My career in private mental health counseling was spent as an alcohol and drug abuse counselor so I do not enter into this issue without deep understanding and ramifications of the issue. 3. Cost of living in Hawaii; Cost of living is out of control. We can immediately elevate some of the issue with increased minimum wage and with fixing the Jones act. Again these are issues that have been around for a long time and should have already been handled by our current representation. No more excuses!!!
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Equality for all citizens. Fair representation for Native Hawaiians!!!
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
The late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan is my political mentor. She was a dear friend of mine and is the reason I got into government. She gave one of the best speeches in political history at the 1976 Democratic National Convention.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Open to all ideas and making constituents voices heard.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I am a professional counselor so I will make sure my constituents are heard!!!
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Accessibility to the voters.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I would like my legacy to be that my constituents were heard and represented well by me. That houselessness/homelessness would be virtually non existent!!! Term limits would also be a part of my legacy.
What is your favorite book? Why?
My favorite book is "The Shack" or "The Color Purple". "The Shack" has the best explanation of the trinity in my humble opinion. "The Color Purple" is an amazing work showing women's struggles and racial inequality.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Cost of living!!!
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
A very close working relationship is needed.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
I believe reaching across the lines is important to good policy.
If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?
Education and Hawaiian affairs
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.
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
Living pono, protecting the Ania and providing for our Keiki and kupuna. Placing principals before personalities!!![2] |
” |
| —Tim Riley[1] | ||
See also
External links
Footnotes
