Hawaii voters picking nominees inside contest to succeed Gov. Ige

Hawaii voters picking nominees inside competition to succeed Gov. Ige

HONOLULU (AP) — The candidates running inside Saturday's main election to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. David Ige include a former earliest lady, a former mixed martial arts champion accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a congressman who moonlights while a Hawaiian Airlines pilot.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Kaiali'i Kahele's decision to sprint for executive has opened up his congressional seat representing rural Oahu accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the Neighbor Islands. In the U.S. Senate, incumbent Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz is excessively up for reelection accompanied by every one one other accompanied by is facing a main exist courageous sufficient from a little-known candidate.

Hawaii is a vote-by-mail condition so voters have been mailing their ballots accompanied by every one one other accompanied by placing them inside permit let fall boxes across the islands since late last month. Election clerks inside every one one county have made a few voter labour centers available for people registering to ballot at the last minute or voting inside person.

In the governor's race, the leading Democratic candidates are Kahele, former Hawaii earliest lady Vicki Cayetano accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Lt. Gov. Josh Green. On the Republican side, former Lt. Gov. James R. "Duke" Aiona, former MMA fighter BJ Penn accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Honolulu City Councilperson Heidi Tsuneyoshi are inside the running.

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Ige has served place of set of two four-year terms accompanied by every one one other accompanied by is ineligible to sprint again. The winner of the Democratic main would exist the favorite to go nearer earliest inside the general election inside the tolerant state.

Many voters speak Hawaii's high homes costs are a top matter for them. The median cost of a single-family place of residence is over $1 million inside Honolulu, Maui accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Kauai counties.

Cayetano said she would build rent-to-own homes accompanied by every one one other accompanied by labour accompanied by the counties to streamline requirements impeding affordable homes construction. Green said he would matter an administrative order to remove scarlet band accompanied by every one one other accompanied by streamline approvals accompanied by every one one other accompanied by enforce existing laws to shut down unlawful vacation rentals. Kahele said he would build targeted workforce homes accompanied by every one one other accompanied by impose a vacancy tax.

Aiona said he would remove the condition Land Use Commission, which he blamed for slowing homes development.

Herbert Rowland, an Oahu building worker, said he likes Green's plans for tacking Hawaii's homes strain accompanied by every one one other accompanied by homelessness.

"I'm from this island, been here all my life. I don't want my children to go off this island since it's excessively costly accompanied by every one one other accompanied by they can't find a house," Rowland said while holding a Green military operation sign accompanied by every one one other accompanied by waving at passing cars inside Honolulu.

Large numbers of travelers accompanied by every one one other accompanied by "overtourism" overwhelming well liked sites are another greatest issue. Annual visitors to Hawaii hit a record 10 million inside 2019. Numbers plummeted early all over the COVID-19 pandemic nevertheless have since go nearer roaring back.

Green proposed charging all travelers over the number of years of 12 a $50 fee. He said this would lift $350 million to $400 million that the condition could use to reinstate parks, shorelines accompanied by every one one other accompanied by build housing. Cayetano endorsed such a remittance accompanied by every one one other accompanied by said eliminating unlawful vacation rentals was a good earliest step.

Kahele said Hawaii needs to reimagine tourism accompanied by a focus on Indigenous knowledge, the aloha spirit accompanied by every one one other accompanied by culture.

Aiona said fees would exist good if they're used to convey on accompanied by parks accompanied by every one one other accompanied by trails nevertheless he urged caution since the higher costs could deter visitors who fuel Hawaii's economy.

Kahele accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Cayetano questioned income Green received while lieutenant executive from a restricted liability firm called Green Health International LLC. Green, who has continued inside his crisis space physician side position of position of employment while lieutenant governor, said the money was for labour he performed while a physician.

Kahele drew watching this year for his own side position of position of employment while a Hawaiian Airlines airman accompanied by every one one other accompanied by his heavy use of proxy voting inside Congress. Like everyone who's voted by proxy, he submitted a required letter attesting he was "unable to physically" ballot at the Capitol. He cited "the ongoing condition health emergency."

Mona Chang Vierra, a teacher, main accompanied by every one one other accompanied by educator, said she liked Cayetano's labour experience accompanied by every one one other accompanied by her commitment to the community. Over 34 years, Cayetano built the biggest laundry services provider inside Hawaii, serving hotels accompanied by every one one other accompanied by hospitals on trio islands. She resigned while president inside February.

"She's extremely successful. Built her labour from the ground up," Chang Vierra said.

Cayetano became earliest lady inside 1997 when she married then-Gov. Ben Cayetano all over his earliest word inside office.

In U.S. House races, condition Rep. Patrick Pihana Branco accompanied by every one one other accompanied by former condition Sen. Jill Tokuda are among sextet candidates competing for the Democratic nomination for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District. Kahele, the incumbent, decided to sprint for executive while an different of seeking reelection, leaving the position up for grabs.

Among Republicans, former U.S. Air Force intellectual capacity analyst accompanied by every one one other accompanied by businessman Joe Akana accompanied by every one one other accompanied by labour owner Joseph Webster are seeking the job.

In the 1st Congressional District, attorney accompanied by every one one other accompanied by political newcomer Sergio Alcubilla is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Case inside the Democratic primary. Conrad Kress, Patrick Largey accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Arturo Reyes are competing for the Republican endorsement.

In the U.S. Senate race, Schatz is actuality challenged inside the Democratic main by Steve Tataii, a debate intention consultant. Tataii made an unsuccessful provide for Congress inside 2016.

In the Republican main for U.S. Senate, condition Rep. Bob McDermott is among five Republicans seeking his party's nomination.

Hawaii voters picking nominees inside competition to succeed Gov. Ige