Hawaii voters cast ballots Saturday in primary elections that will determine who advances to the November general election, with Gov. Josh Green heavily favored to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and a competitive congressional race drawing significant attention.
Green, who was first elected governor in 2022, faces three challengers for the Democratic nomination: George "Teva" Lucas-Tadeo, David "Duke" Bourgoin, and Lauren Napoliahiʻiaka Shim. Meanwhile, state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole is challenging Rep. Ed Case in the Democratic primary for Hawaii's 1st Congressional District, a race that has drawn national progressive support.
What the Right Is Saying
On the Republican side, Gary Cordery and Ken Fujiyama are competing for their party's gubernatorial nomination. The winner will face Green in November in a race that Cook Political Report rates "Likely Democrat," giving Democrats a 13-point advantage.
Cordery, owner of contracting company Kingdom Builders, has campaigned on lowering Hawaii's high cost of living, expanding housing and cracking down on government waste and corruption. He has proposed adding 15,000 homes for working families, using state-owned land for housing and eliminating the state's general excise tax on food and medicine.
"Hawaii families deserve relief from these impossible costs," Cordery said in a campaign statement. "We can solve this housing crisis if we are willing to be bold."
Fujiyama has also proposed tackling the housing affordability crisis by developing 100,000 residential lots and partnering with large landowners to spur growth. Both Republican candidates have argued that nearly two decades of Democratic control of the governor's mansion has failed to address Hawaii's most pressing challenges.
The last Republican to serve as Hawaii governor was Linda Lingle, who held the office from 2002 to 2010.
What the Left Is Saying
Lucas-Tadeo, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, has proposed opening a government-run grocery store and legalizing recreational marijuana. He posted his platform on social media ahead of the primary.
Keohokalole, who is challenging Case for the 1st Congressional District seat, has received the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders' group Our Revolution. He is running on a progressive platform that includes Medicare for All and opposition to ICE and President Donald Trump's tariffs. Keohokalole has sought to portray Case as out of touch with Democratic voters, pointing to the congressman's vote with House Republicans to pass Trump's SAVE America Act, which would require voters to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
"Case's vote for the SAVE Act shows he prioritizes partisan loyalty over Hawaii families," Keohokalole said during a campaign event, according to local reports. The state senator has argued that Case's seniority on the Appropriations Committee does not justify his voting record.
Progressive groups supporting Keohokalole have pointed to polling showing strong support for Medicare for All among Hawaii Democratic voters and have argued that Case represents an outdated approach to representation.
What the Numbers Show
Green has raised approximately $3.5 million for his campaign, far outpacing all challengers. Neither Lucas-Tadeo nor Shim had campaign websites, and none of Green's three Democratic challengers had raised any money in the race as of June 30, according to Honolulu Civil Beat.
Gary Cordery, the second-highest fundraiser among gubernatorial candidates, has raised about $313,000, less than one-tenth of Green's total. In contrast, Bourgoin captured only 590 votes against Green's 158,161 in the 2022 Democratic primary, a margin of more than 267 to 1.
Green holds a 56% approval rating as governor. Cook Political Report rates the gubernatorial race "Likely Democrat" and gives Democrats a 13-point partisan advantage in Hawaii.
In the 1st Congressional District, Case is seeking his seventh term representing the district since 2019. Given the district's strong Democratic lean, whoever wins Saturday's primary will be favored to win the seat in November.
The Bottom Line
The outcome of Saturday's primaries will set the stage for November elections that will determine Hawaii's direction on housing costs, healthcare and federal policy. Green's dominant position in the governor's race makes his renomination nearly certain, meaning the real political energy is concentrated in the 1st Congressional District contest between Case and Keohokalole.
The Case-Keohokalole race represents a test of whether progressive challengers with national backing can unseat incumbents by tying them to controversial federal votes. If Keohokalole wins, it could signal shifting Democratic politics in Hawaii toward more aggressive positions on healthcare and immigration. If Case prevails, it would suggest incumbency and committee seniority still matter to primary voters.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. local time Saturday evening.