Democratic Governor Josh Green of Hawaii successfully overcame three lesser-known primary rivals to continue leading the Aloha State. Green, who initially took office as governor in 2022, entered the unique Saturday primary contest with a solid 56% approval rating. This victory positions him as a strong contender for re-election, with the Cook Political Report giving the Democrats a 13-point advantage in this race.
Green’s challengers were David “Duke” Bourgoin, George “Teva” Lucas-Tadeo, and Lauren Kapoliahiʻiaka Shim. Bourgoin had previously faced Green in the 2022 governor race, capturing only 590 votes against Green’s impressive 158,161. His past campaigns for Honolulu mayor in 2022 and 2024 were also unsuccessful.
Despite the increasing popularity of Democratic Socialists in the U.S., Lucas-Tadeo did not manage to win over Hawaii Democrats. His public Instagram posts advocating for publicly run grocery stores and marijuana legalization failed to gain traction. Neither Lucas-Tadeo nor Shim had active campaign websites, and none of Green’s three rivals raised campaign funds by June 30, as reported by Honolulu Civil Beat. In contrast, Green raised approximately $3.5 million, significantly outmatching Republican Gary Cordery, who is the second highest fundraiser with about $313,000.
Hawaii hasn’t seen a Republican governor since Linda Lingle left office in 2010. Typically, Democratic primaries attract candidates with strong name recognition. In 2022, besides Green, the primary field included Rep. Kai Kahele and former first lady Vicky Cayetano.
“His policies have been fairly popular, there hasn’t been anything he’s done that’s really created a pushback,” said John Hart, a communication professor at Hawaiʻi Pacific University, explaining Green’s advantage in the race. “So, why would you throw your hat in the ring on a suicide run when there are other offices that are more achievable?”
Green highlighted his administration’s effective response to the 2023 Lahaina wildfire and the March Kona low storms. The wildfire led to 102 fatalities, while the storms caused over $1 billion in damage. “We were very present and I think pretty competent and compassionate in our response and we heard from a lot of people — both politicians and just, people — that they appreciated that,” Green stated to Civil Beat.
Green’s approach created a political environment where potential rivals within his party saw limited opportunities to challenge him, leading to his smooth path through the primaries.