When it comes to sustainability issues like the Legacy Lands Act, coastal access, recycling and land use, the Sierra Club Hawai'i Chapter has given state Rep. Hermina Morita and Rep. Tommy Waters perfect scores for their voting records.

With a 93 percent score, state Sen. Gary Hooser topped the list of senators on the 2005-2006 Legislature Environmental Scorecard.

The lawmakers were ranked according to their votes on 10 Senate and eight House bills to provide a rough guide on how each lawmaker stands on sustainability issues.

Other lawmakers in the top tier included: Sen. Les Ihara, Jr.; Sen. J. Kalani English; Rep. Lyla Berg; Rep. Brian Schatz; Rep. Maile Shimabukuro; Rep. Cynthia Thielen; Rep. Roy Takumi and Rep. Kirk Caldwell.

Thielen was the only Republican in the top tier. Republican senators Gordon Trimble, Sam Slom and Paul Whalen were ranked lowest in their chamber, while the bottom category included four House Republicans — Lynn Finnegan, William Stonebraker, Barbara Marumoto, Mark Moses and Colleen Meyer — as well as Democrat Bob Nakasone.

UNION TURNS TO IWASE

Less than a week after Big Island Mayor Harry Kim ended his flirtation with running for governor as a Democrat, the Hawai'i State AFL-CIO, which had been waiting for Kim's decision, endorsed former Mililani state Sen. Randall Iwase.

The labor union, which also endorsed Iwase ally and former Big Island state Sen. Malama Solomon for lieutenant governor, made its announcement on Thursday.

"Both Sens. Iwase and Solomon during their legislative careers were strong advocates for working families," Randy Perreira, the union's president, said in a statement. "We intend to mobilize our membership to support them in the upcoming election."

Iwase picked up several early union endorsements, including from local ironworkers and longshoremen, and hopes to get the support of the Hawai'i Government Employees Association this weekend.

SUPPORTING AKAKA

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka has earned several endorsements for his Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Ed Case.

The senator has been backed by the HGEA, the Hawai'i State Teachers Association, the Hawai'i AFL-CIO, the Progressive Democrats of Hawai'i, the Council for a Livable World and the National Treasury Employees Union, among others.

Case has been endorsed by the National Restaurant Association.

CASE, AKAKA ADS

Case recently bought his first television advertisements since the biographical ads that aired shortly after his announcement in January. The spots, which feature the congressman and his wife, Audrey, interacting with voters, deal with themes of leadership transition and respect.

Akaka is up with a new radio ad that contrasts his positions with Case on domestic issues such as tax relief, consumer protection, immigration reform and prescription drugs.