Mahalo for your support.

Aloha.

Throughout this campaign I’ve said that it was a privilege just to run for mayor, and now it is an honor to be elected and be able to serve you as mayor.

This was my first election ever, and I couldn’t have accomplished this alone.

I want to thank my wife Karen, my son Ryan, and my entire family for their support.

Mahalo to the incredible team of volunteers and supporters who worked together throughout the past nine months. I’ve been overwhelmed by their outpouring of hard work and dedication, despite all the obstacles that COVID threw at us.

Most of all I want to thank Honolulu’s voters, who showed how much they care about our community with their deep engagement and a huge election turnout – many even standing in line for hours on end.

We face unprecedented challenges ahead. I know this will be the most challenging work of my career. But, like the campaign, I’m not going to be able to do this alone. 

We have already set about the critical task to assemble our team, the talented men and women who will commit to work tirelessly on behalf of O‘ahu’s residents, families, and businesses. Their job – my job – is to get it done.

This is also the time we as a people, all of us on this island, have to be unified as one to face our shared future. Together we cannot fail.

Thank for the opportunity to lead at this crucial time. Thank you for your trust in me, and our team. 

In all we do for the next four years, it’s about you.

Mahalo,

…Rick

Rick's Roadmap to Recovery

Read Rick’s “First 90 Days” plan to help Honolulu navigate the challenges we face in the new year ahead.

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Rick’s Top Priorities As Mayor

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    Rebuilding Honolulu’s economy after COVID-19.

    This will be my single highest priority as Mayor. I bring a lifetime of successful experience working turnaround challenges, and rebuilding failing businesses. We need clear, decisive leadership to restore confidence and get more and more people back to work.
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    Stronger action to help the homeless.

    This includes a “tough love” approach to street enforcement, but also means we need to build treatment and housing facilities for the drug addicted and mentally ill, who truly can’t take care of themselves. And we need more community partnerships to aid and house families. No one should ever be penalized for being poor.
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    Get real on rail.

    I believe in the goals of rail transit, but we need a total reality check on the actual costs to complete the full route. This is not the time for wishful thinking or empty promises, and I will not raise property taxes for the sake of the project. HART must be 100% accountable and stop wasting money.
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    Fast-tracking housing projects locals can afford.

    We need responsible development, but our old approach to creating affordable housing is not working. I will streamline the planning and permitting process to save time and money for builders, and get construction underwayfaster.
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    Neighborhood safety and First Responders.

    Our sense of security in our community has changed dramatically, following an alarming rise in neighborhood crime. I will support and fund our first responders: police, firefighters and ocean safety officers, so they can do their jobs to protect us all.

Testimonials & Endorsements

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University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly

“The UHPA feels strongly that Rick can best meet the needs not only for Honolulu but for the faculty of the University of Hawai‘i as well.”
– Christian Fern, UHPA’s Executive Director

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Latest News

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Civil Beat column criticizes Amemiya tactics

In her Civil Beat column today, Lee Cataluna comments on the negative campaign tactics by candidate Keith Amemiya. In the column, Cataluna writes: In a mayoral campaign that’s supposed to be an even match between two smart jocks, somebody has to blow a whistle on Keith Amemiya for unsportsmanlike… Read More
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Hawaii Poll shows commanding lead for Rick Blangiardi in mayor’s race

Rick Blangiardi holds a solid double-­digit lead over fellow first-time candidate Keith Amemiya in the race for Honolulu mayor, according to the latest Hawaii Poll. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser poll shows the retired broadcast executive with 49% support among survey participants versus 36% for Amemiya with less than three weeks before… Read More
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Rick Blangiardi about Loans

A payday loan is an important source of promoting economic growth in Honolulu. Unfortunately, the Hawaii public authorities have paid very little attention to this development model. As Rick Blangiardi has always been busy preparing for the next election campaign, the National Bank of the US has been forced to deal with bank fraud for the past two years.… Read More
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Meet Rick.

Born with a gift to inspire others, Rick Blangiardi has dedicated his life to mentoring athletes, journalists, and young people. From locker rooms to board rooms, Rick’s passionate leadership has brought out the best in people for 50 years.

An inspiring and highly effective leader, his passion is infectious to everyone he engages. His ability to drive positive change by bringing out the best in people is his trademark.

Rick at KHON2 in the control room

A Familiar Face.

Rick has been a familiar face on television as General Manager of Hawaii News Now, KGMB and KHNL. His Local Connections editorials have stimulated needed community conversation, and spurred action on critical issues facing our islands. He put a spotlight on the plight of Hawai‘i’s homeless, Honolulu’s rail transit, and helped raise awareness in the battle against domestic violence and sexual abuse. He also shared Hawai‘i with the world, like the 2017 homecoming of Hokule‘a when millions watched across the globe on television, web and mobile platforms across the globe.

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The Early Years.

Rick grew up in a working-class Boston family, that moved to Honolulu in 1965 when his dad was transferred to be a machinist at Pearl Harbor. Rick played football at the University of Hawai‘i Manoa, and after graduation, he spent seven years as a college football coach, the last five of those at UH.

As a new young father, he made the financial decision to leave football in 1977 and began selling commercials for KGMB. He found his calling in television, going on to found KHNL, bring live UH sports into living rooms statewide, and attract attention from mainland broadcast corporations.

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A Successful Career.

After successful assignments in Seattle, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Rick became president of Telemundo, America’s second-largest Hispanic network, which he led to even greater success (even though Rick doesn’t speak Spanish.) But Rick’s heart was still in Hawai‘i, and he returned home in 2002 to create Hawaii News Now, where he encouraged a culture of service in the workplace and made community the foundation of his leadership.

 

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Community, Service, Family.

Rick has served as President for the Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America, Chair of the Hawai‘i Chamber of Commerce, President of Na Koa, Trustee for the Hawai‘i Public Schools Foundation, Board Member for the YMCA of Honolulu, the American Red Cross, and the Hawai‘i Food Bank, and has earned numerous honors for his leadership and service to his community.

Rick has led a life of uncompromising service to Hawai‘i, his colleagues and especially his family. He has two sons, a daughter, and five grandchildren. Rick lives in Honolulu with his wife Karen Chang.

Women For Rick

Women from across Oahu share why they're voting for Rick

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Zhulieta Ibisheva
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Carol Ai May
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Naomi Carter
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Carla Houser

The FAQs on the Issues.

Why do you want to be Mayor of Honolulu?

What are your top priorities for the City & County of Honolulu?

Where do you stand on rail?

What do we need to do to streamline City operations?

Do you support paid sick & family leave for all workers?

Do you support the equal treatment of our LGBTQ community members in the workplace and society?

How will you address climate change and its impact on Hawai‘i?

Are you a Democrat or a Republican?

You’ve never held political office before. How do you know you can do the job?