Democratic Rep. Ed Case Beats Progressive Rival in Hawaii’s 1st District

Democratic incumbents in Hawaii’s gubernatorial and congressional primary elections successfully fended off primary challengers over the weekend.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Case won the Democratic primary for Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District in the early hours of Aug. 9 after beating a series of challengers, including progressive state Sen. Jarrett K. Keohokalole.

Keohokalole attempted to oust the moderate Democrat by pushing a platform supporting ideas like Medicare for all and removing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from communities.

Case, a longtime Democratic congressman known as one of the most fiscally conservative Democrats in the House, ruffled feathers in his party in 2025 after he broke with the Democrats to support the Trump-endorsed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or the SAVE Act.

This November, Case will run against Republican Adriel C. Lam, a retired Army officer, who was unopposed in the Republican primary.

In the race for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District, Democratic incumbent Rep. Jill Tokuda won her primary in a landslide against retired computer consultant Greg Guithues and businessman Kirill Basin.

Basin, who did not get more than 2 percent of the primary vote, made headlines ahead of the election after a viral video filmed on Aug. 1 showed him involved in a beach fight.

He was charged with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, court records show.

Tokuda, who was first elected in 2022, will go up against Republican Brenton Awa, who ran unopposed, in November.

In Hawaii’s gubernatorial primary, Democratic incumbent Gov. Josh Green and Republican Gary Cordery advanced to the general election.

Green won the Democratic primary in a landslide, successfully fending off businesswoman Lauren Kapoliahi’iaka Shim, independent contractor George Lucas-Tadeo, and business consultant Duke Bourgoin.

The Cook Political Report rates the seat as a “Solid Democrat,” suggesting Green will likely score a second term.

The last Republican to hold the seat was Gov. Linda Lingle from 2002 to 2010.

Green, who was first elected in 2022, ran on a platform to lower the cost of living, boost affordable housing, lower healthcare costs, and embrace green energy.

Cordery, a general contractor, is running on a platform to eliminate the General Excise Tax on food and medicine, freeze property taxes, boost affordable housing, and end corruption.