HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Hawaiʻi’s political landscape is ever-changing politics, and if there's one person who keeps an eye on it all, it's Stan Fichtman. A political analyst and publisher of Politics Hawaiʻi, Fichtman has been immersed in the state’s political scenes for years. He draws from his extensive background in political science and his global experiences in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You KHON2.com sat down with Fichtman to talk about the major political stories to watch in 2025. He shared his unique perspective on the political issues that will define the year ahead. “I always try to focus on the stories that aren't being fully covered, the ones that are just below the surface," Fichtman said as he reflected on his approach to reporting. As someone who writes about Hawaiʻi's political zeitgeist, Fichtman digs deep into local affairs, unearthing narratives that impact the community in ways that might not be immediately visible. The Hawaiian Airlines-Alaska merger One of the major political stories Fichtman tracked in 2024 was the merger between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. While this development may not seem like a traditional political issue, Fichtman emphasized its importance due to the economic weight of Hawaiian Airlines, one of Hawaiʻi’s largest employers. “Hawaiian Airlines is one of the biggest employers in the state, and when it merges with another airline, there are political ramifications," Fichtman explained. "We have to pay attention to how that affects the workforce and the broader economy.” But it’s not just the merger’s immediate effects on the airline that Fichtman is interested in. He’s also keeping an eye on what the future holds for the company and its impact on Hawaiʻi. "After the merger, we need to ask: How will this affect the people working for Hawaiian Airlines? Will jobs be cut? Will the local economy suffer?" Fichtman posed. He noted that mergers like this one can cause a ripple effect across sectors that can impact everything from tourism to labor rights. The quiet collapse of SMS research Another big story Fichtman reported on in 2024 was the sudden and quiet bankruptcy of SMS Research, a prominent company in Hawaiʻi that conducted surveys on topics ranging from politics to housing. Fichtman uncovered the story after a tip from a source in the governor’s office. “I was told about SMS’s financial troubles; and as I looked into it, I discovered that they’d taken out a loan with an interest rate of more than 500%,” he explained. The bankruptcy, which was not widely reported at first, sent shockwaves through Hawaiʻi's political and business circles. SMS had been a staple in the survey and research industry, and their sudden closure left a void in local data collection. Fichtman noted, “Every time you flew into Hawaiʻi, you filled out one of those forms. SMS was the company that counted them. Now, they’re gone.” The company’s disappearance raises questions about the future of local survey data and the overall reliability of public opinion research in Hawaiʻi. Fichtman dug deeper and revealed that SMS’s downfall wasn’t just about financial mismanagement. It was also linked to the political climate. “They were working on housing studies in Kakaʻako and Lāhainā, but the quality of those studies was questionable,” he said. “It was an example of how sometimes we don’t get the full story in Hawaiʻi. We need to understand the hidden factors, the ones that don’t always make it into the headlines.” The governor’s stance on Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Looking ahead to 2025, Fichtman is also focused on Governor Josh Green's role in national politics, particularly his testimony against Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Washington, D.C. Kennedy, who has been nominated to take the role of head of the Department of Health and Human Services, has sparked controversy; and Fichtman noted that Green’s involvement in opposing him was a significant move. “The governor is going to Washington to testify against RFK, Jr., and no one in the Hawaiʻi Republican Party is talking about it,” Fichtman pointed out. “It's an interesting dynamic. You would think the Republicans would weigh in, but they’re staying silent.” This silence from the state's Republican Party, according to Fichtman, might be a strategic move. “They’re waiting to see what happens. They're not jumping in too quickly. I think they realize they need to be careful with their image,” he said. Fichtman believes the Hawaiʻi Republican Party’s response, or lack thereof, will play a crucial role in the state’s political narrative. “It’s like a chess game,” he said. “We’re watching to see what the next move will be.” The University of Hawaiʻi's new president: Wendy Hensel A critical development to watch in the coming year is the arrival of Wendy Hensel as the new president of the University of Hawaiʻi. Fichtman noted that she will be conducting listening sessions across the university's campuses to hear from faculty, students and staff. “I’ll be following her tour and seeing how she handles the challenges ahead,” he said. Fichtman also pointed to the larger context of higher education in Hawaiʻi, especially given the turmoil the University of Hawaiʻi has faced in recent years. “The last president, David Lassner, was heavily criticized by the legislature. It’ll be interesting to see if Hensel gets the same treatment,” he remarked. The political pressures on university leadership are intense, and Fichtman is closely watching how Hensel navigates these challenges. The impact of Federal education policy on Hawaiʻi Fichtman is also focused on the potential implications of federal education policy on Hawaiʻi’s higher education system, especially in light of Project 2025, a conservative initiative aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, amongst a host of other initiatives. “If they pull funding for certain programs, like Title III funding for Native Hawaiian educational programs, Hawaiʻi’s universities could be in serious trouble,” Fichtman warned. “The question is: Will the state be able to step in to fill the gaps?” Title III funding is crucial for curriculum and infrastructure development at Hawaiʻi’s universities, and a loss of this federal support would be a blow to programs focused on Native Hawaiian advancement. “We have to ask, can the state afford to take on that responsibility?” Fichtman posed. “It’s a big question that will have a lasting impact on the educational landscape here.” A year of political shifts As we move into 2025, Fichtman sees a year of political shifts in Hawaiʻi. From the high-stakes merger of major airlines to the changing landscape of education and governance, he believes that Hawaiʻi’s political story is still being written. But Fichtman, ever the analyst, is ready to follow the threads that others might overlook. “My job is to watch the stories that aren’t being told,” Fichtman said. “Sometimes it’s about reading between the lines, finding the hidden angles and sharing those insights with the public.” With his deep understanding of Hawaiʻi’s political environment and his eye for uncovering the unseen, Fichtman’s work in 2025 will be a key resource for anyone trying to make sense of the political forces shaping the state. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHON's morning podcast, every morning at 8 For anyone watching Hawaiʻi’s political developments closely, Fichtman’s analysis will be a critical guide to understanding the complex dynamics at play. "The real stories are out there," Fichtman concluded. "We just have to keep looking for them."