Gary Cordery, a contracting company owner, secured the Republican nomination for Hawaii governor by defeating business owner Ken Fujiyama in the primary round. Cordery prepares to compete against Democratic Governor Josh Green in November, where Green holds an advantage. The Cook Political Report categorizes the race as Solid Democratic, considering Hawaii’s Partisan Voting Index of D+13.
One major obstacle for Cordery is the absence of a Republican governor in Hawaii since Linda Lingle left office in 2010. Cordery also faces Democratic Gov. Green, who enjoys a 56% approval rate, and he encounters a notable financial gap. Green’s campaign has accumulated roughly $3.5 million, vastly surpassing Cordery’s approximate $313,000 reported by Honolulu Civil Beat.
Cordery advocates for voters with a campaign focused on reducing Hawaii’s living costs, reforming education, and tackling corruption. He commented to Honolulu Civil Beat, “As a husband, father, and grandfather, businessman and community servant, I love Hawai’i. These islands of unique beauty have endured mismanagement for decades. Her people live under stress and anxiety. I am running to open opportunity, create abundance, and ensure stewardship of her resources, bringing accountability and hope for the people.”
Housing and Tax Proposals
Cordery’s plan for prosperity involves constructing 15,000 homes for working families, priced between $400,000 and $600,000, utilizing state-owned land for fee-simple housing. His initiative includes streamlining the permitting process and expanding land available for residential development.
He aims to abolish the state’s General Excise Tax on food and medicine and propose freezing property taxes for retirees. Cordery criticizes the state’s fiscal management and suggests audits to identify waste. He contrasts Hawaii’s budget of $20.5 billion serving 1.4 million residents with New Hampshire’s $7.75 billion budget for the same population, stating, “I believe our tax burden is out of control. The answer is management.”
Elaine Mallon, contributing writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, focuses on national politics.