Democratic Governor Josh Green of Hawaii successfully overcame three lesser-known opponents in the recent primary. Green, first elected as governor in 2022, maintained a solid approval rating of 56% going into the unusual Saturday primary. This victory enhances his position as a favorite for re-election, with the Cook Political Report indicating a 13-point advantage for the Democratic Party in the upcoming race.
Green’s challengers in the primary included David “Duke” Bourgoin, George “Teva” Lucas-Tadeo, a Democratic socialist, and Lauren Kapoliahiʻiaka Shim. Previously, Bourgoin had contested Green in the 2022 gubernatorial race, securing only 590 votes compared to Green’s 158,161. Bourgoin also unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Honolulu in 2022 and 2024.
Despite the national rise in popularity for Democratic Socialists, Lucas-Tadeo did not manage to sway Hawaii’s Democrats, even with his public promises on Instagram advocating for state-run grocery stores and marijuana legalization. Unlike Green, neither Lucas-Tadeo nor Shim launched campaign websites, and none of Green’s opponents had raised any campaign funds by June 30, stated Honolulu Civil Beat. In contrast, Green amassed around $3.5 million, significantly outpacing Republican competitor Gary Cordery, who raised approximately $313,000.
Hawaii’s last Republican governor, Linda Lingle, left office in 2010. In typical election cycles, the Democratic primary sees candidates with high name recognition entering the race; for example, in 2022, contenders included Rep. Kai Kahele and former first lady Vicky Cayetano.
John Hart, a communication professor at Hawaiʻi Pacific University, told Civil Beat, “His policies have been fairly popular, there hasn’t been anything he’s done that’s really created a pushback.” This popularity left many questioning the rationale behind opposing Green in this race, as other political offices might present more feasible opportunities.
Green stated, “We were very present and I think pretty competent and compassionate in our response, and we heard from a lot of people that they appreciated that.”
During his tenure, Green highlighted his administration’s effective response to significant disasters, such as the 2023 Lahaina wildfire and the March Kona low storms, which resulted in around $1 billion in damages. This response reportedly strengthened his public support.
Green remarked to Civil Beat, “It just didn’t create a scenario in which another Democrat thought it made sense to run against us… I didn’t set out to get into fights with people, I really just tried to do this job.”