Josh Green Wins Hawaii re-election with 72% of the vote

263,274 voters cast their ballots for Gov. Josh Green and Lt. Gov.-elect Derek Kawakami on Tuesday, delivering the Democratic ticket 72% of the vote in Hawaii’s general election, Hawaii News Now reported. The state’s third general election printout showed Green and Kawakami far outpacing Republican challengers Gary Cordery and Daniel Anthony, who received 95,519 votes, or 26.1%.

The victory gives Green a second term leading the state and ushers Kawakami into his first statewide executive role. Celebrating with family, friends, and supporters at Aloha Tower, the pair framed their win as a mandate to continue the partnership they forged while weathering statewide emergencies together.

Gov. Josh Green wins re-election alongside Lt. Gov.-elect Derek Kawakami

A Partnership Forged Through Crisis

Green and Kawakami’s working relationship dates back to Green’s tenure as lieutenant governor and Kawakami’s time as mayor of Kauaʻi. During those years, the two collaborated on natural disaster responses, the COVID-19 pandemic, and severe storm recovery efforts across the islands.

Standing beside Green on election night, Kawakami pledged to remain grounded in the values his family instilled in him while carrying the concerns of neighbor island communities to the state Capitol.

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“I’m just never going to forget where I came from,” Kawakami said. “I’m never going to forget the values my mom and dad instilled in me, and I’m not going to change a bit.”

Green described their combined executive experience as a “complementary one-two punch” and signaled that Kawakami will take on an expansive policy portfolio in the new administration.

“I’m a big believer that the lieutenant governor should have a huge portfolio to impact the state of Hawaiʻi,” Green said. “This guy already knows how to build houses. He already knows how to take care of our local values. The sky is the limit for this guy.”

Neighbor Island Perspective in the Executive Branch

For Kawakami, the election marks a transition from local to statewide leadership after serving as Kauaʻi’s mayor and in the state Legislature. He said he hopes his unconventional path offers a model for young people who do not fit traditional molds.

Green re-elected as Hawaii Governor with Kawakami as Lt. Gov. in 2026 Midterm Election

“I just hope that there is some young boy and girl that surfs or skateboards, or maybe it’s just a round peg trying to fit into a square hole and takes a look at me and tells himself that if this guy can do it, I can do it, too,” Kawakami said.

Republican Challenger Responds to the Margin

Gary Cordery, the Republican candidate for governor, said after the results were released that he was neither discouraged nor caught off guard by the final margin. He pointed to ongoing grassroots encouragement from supporters in the community.

“Not surprised at all, actually. I’m very encouraged,” Cordery said. “I know what’s going on in the community, people that approach us on a regular basis, overwhelming numbers. So, I don’t think it’s anything to be surprised about. We’re having much joy.”

Green, for his part, thanked voters for the opportunity to keep leading.

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“First, we want to thank the people of Hawaiʻi for giving us this incredible opportunity,” Green said. “We’ve bonded over these years, and now we’re just confident that we can lead the state forward in ways that have never been done before.”