Hawaii Gov. Josh Green Secures Primary Win Amid Strong Favorability

Democratic Hawaii Governor Josh Green has secured a victory in the primary election, overcoming three relatively unknown challengers. First elected in 2022, Green participated in the rare Saturday primary with a solid 56% approval rating, positioning him as a strong contender for re-election. The Cook Political Report currently projects the race to favor the Democratic Party by 13 points.

Green’s opponents included David “Duke” Bourgoin, George “Teva” Lucas-Tadeo, a self-proclaimed Democratic socialist, and Lauren Kapoliahiʻiaka Shim. Bourgoin ran against Green in 2022 and managed to secure only 590 votes against Green’s 158,161. He also experienced losses in his bids for Honolulu mayor in 2022 and 2024.

Lucas-Tadeo’s campaign, advocating for state-run grocery stores and the legalization of marijuana, failed to gain traction among Hawaii Democrats.

Neither Lucas-Tadeo nor Shim maintained campaign websites, and as of June 30, none had raised any campaign funds, according to Honolulu Civil Beat. Green, on the other hand, had accumulated approximately $3.5 million in campaign funds. This overshadowed Republican Gary Cordery, the next highest fundraiser, who raised about $313,000.

Hawaii has not seen a Republican governor since Linda Lingle’s term ended in 2010. Typically, the Democratic primary in Hawaii attracts candidates with significant name recognition. For example, past candidates have included Representative Kai Kahele and former first lady Vicky Cayetano.

John Hart, a communication professor at Hawaiʻi Pacific University, commented, “His policies have been fairly popular, there hasn’t been anything he’s done that’s really created a pushback.” This context explains why serious challengers did not emerge during the primary.

Green highlighted his administration’s effective response to recent natural disasters, such as the 2023 Lahaina wildfire and the March Kona low storms, which collectively caused profound damage. He emphasized that his administration’s approach was “competent and compassionate.”

Green stated, “It just didn’t create a scenario in which another Democrat thought it made sense to run against us.” He pointed out that he focused on performing his duties rather than creating conflicts, reducing the likelihood of significant opposition within his party.