Most incumbents cruised to easy wins in Hawai‘i's midterm elections Tuesday.
Gov. Josh Green will remain in office for another four years, although with a new lieutenant governor, Derek Kawakami, replacing current Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke. The Green/Kawakami ticket handily beat Republican challenger Gary Cordery and running mate Daniel Anthony by roughly 170,000 votes, according to data by the Hawai‘i Office of Elections.
Voter turnout was low compared to previous midterm elections. Only 42.9% of registered voters — just under 366,000 people — cast ballots in the general election. Nearly all of those were mail-in ballots, with only about 17,000 votes cast in person.
Tuesday saw a win for Green's policies as well. Both Constitutional amendments on the ballot passed, including one that would allow for the creation of “Resilient Infrastructure for Shelter and Equity bonds," or RISE bonds, that allow the counties to fund up-front the infrastructure costs for new housing developments. Green had heavily touted that amendment in the lead-up to the election, saying it would be a powerful tool to stimulate the development of affordable housing without raising taxes.
The RISE bond amendment passed with 227,522 votes against about 137,000 no and blank votes.
Hawai‘i's U.S. Representatives will also remain the same. Rep. Jill Tokuda received more than 126,000 votes, nearly double the votes cast for challenger Brenton Awa, and Rep. Ed Case fended off three challengers — Republican Adriel Lam, Green Party member Jordan Conley and non-partisan Nathan Berning — with more than three times the votes of the second-place candidate Lam.
Ed Case issued a newsletter following his win telling supporters that his priorities in the new term remain the cost of living crisis and managing inflation, issues he said the majority of his constituents have at the top of their minds.
Throughout the state Legislature, most incumbents defeated their challengers by significant margins. The widest margin may have been that between Puna Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, who received 10,832 votes, and Libertarian challenger Frederick Fogel, who received 2,893.
In races with no incumbents, Democrats held onto their seats. With Senator Karl Rhoads stepping down from his seat representing Punchbowl and Downtown Honolulu, Democrat Tricia Nakamatsu defeated a Republican opponent to take Rhoads' place.
Nakamatsu, like Case, said following her win that the cost of living and affordable housing are among her top priorities, along with improving public safety and mental health services, and creating more opportunities to keep Hawai‘i families in Hawai‘i.
"These issues deserve thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and a willingness to work across differences to deliver real results," Nakamatsu said in a statement Wednesday. "I will be a senator who listens, works hard, and represents every resident with honesty, integrity and respect."
In Makiki's House District 26, which incumbent Della Belatti is leaving after a failed bid for lieutenant governor this year, Democrat Ian Ross took the seat with more than 4,700 votes to his opponent's 1,700.
And Rachele Lamosao and Danielle Bass — who were appointed to fill Senate seats in Pearl City and Mililani Town, respectively, after previous senators resigned — won their elections as well.
Sherry Menor, president and CEO of Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i, told Aloha State Daily Wednesday that the new faces in the Legislature gives the business community "an opportunity ... to meet them, connect with them and build that relationship so, collectively, we can build a better business climate."
"This is the year to do it," Menor continued. "We've seen so many dismal numbers and percentages, such as outmigration, families considering moving, as well as the local businesses and how their being impacted, so this is the year to transform our economy and build that better business climate."
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