Iwamoto pulls ahead of Saiki in close state House race

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / 2021 Ken Inouye 1 /3 CRAIG T. KOJIMA / 2021 Ken Inouye CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA @STARADVERTISER.COM Voters at City Hall could vote in person or by dropping their ballots into drop boxes on King Street. A motorist drops off his ballot to Sophie Lo, elections volunteer.

2 /3 CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA @STARADVERTISER.COM Voters at City Hall could vote in person or by dropping their ballots into drop boxes on King Street. A motorist drops off his ballot to Sophie Lo, elections volunteer.

STAR-ADVERTISER AND COURTESY PHOTO Scott Saiki and Kim Coco Iwamoto are pictured.

3 /3 STAR-ADVERTISER AND COURTESY PHOTO Scott Saiki and Kim Coco Iwamoto are pictured.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / 2021 Ken Inouye CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA @STARADVERTISER.COM Voters at City Hall could vote in person or by dropping their ballots into drop boxes on King Street. A motorist drops off his ballot to Sophie Lo, elections volunteer.

STAR-ADVERTISER AND COURTESY PHOTO Scott Saiki and Kim Coco Iwamoto are pictured.

RELATED PHOTO GALLERY Former state Board of Education member Kim Coco Iwamoto was defeating House Speaker Scott Saiki to represent parts of downtown, Ala Moana and Kakaako in a Democratic Party primary election that holds the future of the House leadership at stake.

In their last Democratic primary face-off in 2022, Saiki beat Iwamoto by just 161 votes, with 2, 680 votes compared with 2, 519 for Iwamoto.

With the second election returns of the night Saturday, Iwamoto had an edge of 202 votes over Saiki, meaning it’s possible the final results of the House 25 seat might not be determined until today, when all of the votes are expected to be counted.

As of Friday night, over 229, 000 registered voters had cast ballots, most of them via mail-in ballots, according to the state Office of Elections.

The other House primary race generating attention pitted state Rep. Trish La Chica (D, Waipio-Mililani ) against political newcomer Ken Inouye, the son of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.

La Chica jumped to a commanding lead Saturday night.

In the second returns on the night, La Chica had 54 % of the votes over Inouye’s 46 %—3, 180 for La Chica compared to 2, 701 for Inouye, or a difference of 479 votes.

She was appointed to fill the House 37 seat by Gov. Josh Green in 2023.

Saturday night’s primary race represents La Chica’s first time seeking reelection after an unsuccessful run for the House in 2020.

La Chica, a 37-year-old mother of a 7-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter, represents younger working families in Central Oahu and serves as vice chair of the House Education Committee.

Inouye—the 60-year-old assistant to the vice chancellor at the University of Hawaii West Oahu with a 14-year-old daughter—was encouraged to make his first run for political office this year after growing up in Washington, D.C., with his famous father.

Daniel Inouye’s name can be found on Hawaii’s major airport, a major highway on Hawaii island and other island landmarks.

But Ken Inouye told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser earlier that he was campaigning on his own name and only talked about his father if constituents brought it up.

Like La Chica, Inouye said he sought office to help people in Central Oahu be able to afford to stay in Hawaii and help prevent them from joining the exodus of people leaving for more affordable states.

For the entire state Legislature, 12 of the 25 state Senate seats and all 51 House seats were on the ballot.

But four House incumbents faced no opposition and were assured of reelection with no need to go to the November general election : Reps. Justin Woodson (D, Kahului-­Puunene ), Gene Ward (R, Hawaii Kai-Kalama Valley ), Della Au Belatti (D, Makiki-­Punchbowl ) and Rachele Lamosao (D, Waipahu ).

On the Senate side, Henry Aquino (D, Pearl City-Waipahu-­West Loch ), Jarrett Keohokalole (D, Kaneohe-­Kailua ) and Troy Hashimoto (D, Wailuku-Kahului-Waihee ) were also running unopposed and assured of reelection.

For the rest of the Legislature, several incumbents had no primary challengers and will automatically move on to the Nov. 5 general election.

In the Senate, they are : Dru Kanuha (D, Kona-­Kau-Volcano ), Lynn Decoite (D, East and Upcountry Maui-­Molokai-Lanai ), Sharon Moriwaki (D, Waikiki-Ala Moana-Kakaako ), Brandon Elefante (D, Aiea-Pacific Palisades-Pearl City ) and Michelle Kidani (D, Mililani Town-Waipio Gentry-Royal Kunia ).

In the House, Democratic incumbents with no primary challengers are : Reps. Greggor Ilagan (D, Hawaiian Paradise Park-Hawaiian Beaches-Leilani Estates ); Nicole Lowen (D, Kailua-­Kona-Honokohau-Puuanahulu ), chair of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection ; Nadine Nakamura (D, Hanalei-­Princeville-Kapaa ); Luke Evslin (D, Wailua-­Lihue ); Dee Morikawa (D, Niihau-­Hanapepe-Waimea ); Rose Martinez (D, Ewa Beach-­Iroquois Point ); Darius Kila (D, Nanakuli-Maili ); Terez Amato (D, Kihei-­Wailea ); Mark Hashem (D, Waialae-­Aina Haina-Hawaii Kai ); Andrew Takuya Garrett (D, Manoa ); Jenna Takenouchi (D, Pacific Heights-Nuuanu-­Liliha ); Micah Aiu (D, Moanalua-Aliamanu-­Foster Village ); and majority whip Gregg Takayama (D, Waiau-Pearl City-Pacific Palisades ).

Republican House incumbents with no primary challengers were Reps. David Alcos (R, Ocean Pointe-­Barbers Point ), Diamond Garcia (R, Ewa-Kapolei ) and Elijah Pierick (R, Royal Kunia-Waipahu-Honouliuli ).

Pierick will run in November against either of three Democratic challengers, including Corey Rosenlee, the former head of the powerful Hawaii State Teachers Association, who had a huge lead in his Democratic primary Saturday.

In other legislative races, state Sen. Lorraine Inouye (D, Hilo-Pepeekeo ), the Senate’s majority whip who chairs the Senate Committee on Water and Land, took a commanding early lead over former state Sen. Laura Acasio.

And former state Rep. Cedric Gates was leading fellow Democrat Stacelynn Eli to replace former state Sen. Maile Shimabukuro (D, Nanakuli-Waianae-Makaha ), who resigned at the end of the last legislative session.

Former state Sen. Clayton Hee was trailing badly Saturday against Ben Shafter in the Democratic primary to represent Kaneohe-Laie-­Mokuleia.

The District 23 seat is currently held by state Sen. Brenton Awa, who had no Republican primary challenger Saturday night in Awa’s first bid at reelection.