Hawaii Governor Josh Green handily won reelection today, defeating the Republican ticket of Gary Cordery and running mate Daniel Anthony by a record margin to secure a second four-year term.
Green’s running mate, outgoing Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami, will serve as lieutenant governor.
Green and Kawakami’s ticket secured a commanding victory over Cordery and Anthony, receiving 75 percent of the vote compared with the Republican ticket’s 25 percent of the vote after the second printout results were released Wednesday.
Green defeated Cordery by 50 percentage points, which is a gubernatorial record in Hawaii, topping former Governor David Ige’s 2018 reelection margin of victory. Ige, with Green as his running mate, defeated Republican Andria Tupola — now a Honolulu City Council member — and her running mate, Marissa Kerns, by about 29 percentage points.
The results would extend Democratic control of the governor’s office in a state where the party has dominated statewide elections for decades.
Green campaigned on continuing efforts to address Hawaii’s high cost of living, housing shortage, homelessness and rising energy costs.
Kauhale villages — small communities of homes intended to provide people experiencing homelessness with stable housing and access to support services — have been a central part of his approach.
He said he plans to expand the villages during a second term, alongside efforts to protect middle-class tax relief, speed up housing construction and lower electricity bills.
In responses to candidate questions, Green said his administration had helped approve more than 10,000 low-income housing units and accelerated nearly 7,000 affordable units statewide. He also pointed to housing and zoning reforms enacted during his first term.
Green was first elected governor in 2022 with Sylvia Luke as his running mate. They defeated the Republican ticket of Duke Aiona and Seaula Jr. Tupai by about 26 percentage points.
Luke took an indefinite leave of absence and ended her re-election campaign in April amid a federal corruption investigation. She was later indicted on bribery-related charges and alleged campaign finance violations. State Department of Accounting and General Services Director Keith Regan was appointed acting lieutenant governor following Luke’s departure.
Kawakami, who has served as Kauai’s mayor since 2018, will now take on the statewide role. He previously served on the Kauai County Council and in the state House of Representatives. Kauai County Council Chair member Mel Rapozo was far ahead of former mayor Bernard Carvalho will succeed Kawakami as mayor, taking office 01 December.
During his campaign, Kawakami said he viewed the lieutenant governor’s office as a position that supports the governor’s priorities while taking on initiatives delegated by the governor. The office also provides administrative support and serves as acting governor when the governor is out of state.
He also emphasised identifying underutilised state and county land near existing infrastructure as a way to increase housing opportunities for local residents, as well as expanding early childhood education initiatives to help working parents.
Green entered the general election with a 64 percent approval rating among registered Hawaii voters, according to a Morning Consult ranking that placed him third among governors nationally. He also serves as chairman of the Western Governors’ Association, a role he assumed on 01 July.
Hawaii is scheduled to host the association’s winter conference in Ko Olina in December, giving Green a prominent role in bringing governors from across the West to the state.
