Aloha, Hillary supporters! In one of the bluest of blue states, we love and respect Hillary Clinton. I loved Hillary when she was still Hillary Rodham. She rocked Wellesley College with a great speech. Later, she wrote an article advocating for children’s rights that was well ahead of its time. She even created a job for herself at the Children’s Defense Fund as its first legal counsel. Her liberal instincts are impeccable. She has been a role model and inspiration for women and girls worldwide.

She did everything right to prepare to run, and win, the Democratic nomination for president. She got the money, got the organization, got the party machinery backing her. Some prognosticators are declaring her basically unbeatable.

Unfortunately, she is a victim of her own success. She is the wrong person who is running at the wrong time. The very things that make her excellent are the Achilles heel for her presidential run.

The money she raised means that she will “fight for” us, but only as much as she can, being beholden to billionaires and corporations. She cannot even fight for “us” if there is no “us” behind her. We need to fight for ourselves, and she needs to form a new consensus and movement. Lead, not follow, the opinion polls, and micro-target to get elected and govern. Like Bill, she is the best person to cut deals with Republicans to do what little is possible to do.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, shifts the paradigm. He can advocate for things that are universally popular with the public, but that big business will not tolerate. He will have the movement of millions of citizens behind him to get it done, too. Hillary got the money for her campaign instead. After all, traditionally that’s how you win.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders speaking in June at Drake University. John Pemble

Can Hillary suggest, much less get passed, a transaction tax on Wall Street stock trades to pay for public college for all? Make corporations pay taxes (any taxes) to pay for long overdue public works? Ditch huge HMOs in exchange for universal free health care for all? Tell Exxon, Chevron, and BP they can’t frack our aquifers, and drill our oceans, and actually make them pay a carbon tax to pay for clean solar energy for those who can’t afford it instead?

Republicans win when people stay home and don’t vote because they think their vote doesn’t matter. Sen. Sanders will not only get Democrats out to vote, he will expand the number of first-time and unlikely voters. He will get Reagan Democrats and independents, and even some Republicans. See this 11,000 person rally in red state Arizona, and even 300 in Alabama if you don’t believe me.

There is a rapid radicalization of the people who have been shoved from middle class into poverty — regardless of political affiliation. They want someone who isn’t beholden. They don’t want so slip further into poverty because their money is being redistributed to the the wealthiest people and companies all around the world.

It’s important to note that we in Hawaii can tell you with confidence that this presidential primary is not about race. It’s about class. Hawaii is 22.8% percent haole (white). We care about immigration reform. We care about racial profiling and police brutality. We are also the state that sent the second most delegates to the 2004 Democratic convention for haole Rep. Dennis Kucinich. I feel confident in predicting that Senator Bernie will win Hawaii — Pacific Islanders, Asian diaspora, African Americans, Hispanics, haoles, and every combination of the above, and then some.

It might not be by the same 76 percent to 24 percent margin as keiki o ka aina (native son) Barack got in 2008 against Hillary (maybe only 70 percent …to lower expectations, of course). We are all struggling with the high cost of living, low wages, and our shrinking safety nets have pukas (holes).

But one thing we don’t have a problem with is voter suppression. So if there’s going to be a razor tight 50 percent-plus one race, the Republicans have all sorts of strategies for the 2016 election, in all sorts of swing states, to keep Democrats from voting. The Supreme Court will get to sit this one out. No need to recount the hanging chads.

Hillary has been so vilified for so many years — heck, there is a whole network dedicated just to trashing her (yes, I’m looking at you Fox). Republicans would love another divisive partisan contest to bring back the old national divide that keeps them in power. And they have been planning on a Hillary run for the White House for a long, long time. We threw them a big curve ball with Barack. They will be in deep kimchi (lots of trouble) if Democrats nominate Senator Bernie.So, can Hillary keep Bernie from winning the Democratic nomination for president? No. Who is the most electable candidate for president against the Republicans? Senator Bernie. So we welcome your kokua (help), and ask that you please reconsider supporting Senator Bernie instead. Mahalo!