Hawaiʻi County Councilman Dru Kanuha pulled and filed his candidacy papers today, Feb. 1, 2018, making official his candidacy for State Senate District 3, representing Kaʻū and Kona.

“The outpouring of aloha and support since I announced my candidacy in September has been so humbling,” Kanuha said. “I look forward to the opportunity to serve even more people in our community as Senator.”

“Having been blessed to grow up in West Hawaiʻi and raised with the values of compassion, respect and aloha for the land, water and people, it will be an honor to bring those values with me to the Hawaiʻi State Senate and work hard to address the needs of our people from Nāʻālehu to Ocean View, South Kona to Kealakekua, Kāināliu to Keauhou, Kailua to Kalaoa,” said Kanuha.

Kanuha was born and raised in Kona, and is a proud graduate of Kealakehe High School and the University of San Diego. Kanuha worked at the State Capitol and at Kamehameha Schools’ Land Assets Division before being elected to the County Council in 2012. He is currently in his third term representing the people of Council District 7.

Kanuha is especially proud of improvements in transportation and recreation he advanced during his three terms on the County Council: building Laʻaloa Avenue as a mauka-makai connector to relieve traffic congestion on both Kuakini Highway above and Aliʻi Drive below, completing the Māmalahoa Bypass Extension from Keauhou to Nāpoʻopoʻo to alleviate congestion in South Kona, opening the new playground at Kailua Park to families, and welcoming the community to Aliʻi Kai Park—delivering on a promise made by the county over four decades ago.

While on the Council, Kanuha’s colleagues elected him chair from 2014 to 2016, and he currently serves as chair of the Governmental Relations and Economic Development Committee. He was also chosen by his colleagues as president of the Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties, a body that advocates for the counties at the Legislature, and is on the board of directors of the National Association of Counties and its Western Interstate Region.