Despite missteps, Hawaii’s governor captures primary

HONOLULU — Despite a challenging first term marked by both natural and man-made disasters, Hawaii Gov. David Ige won the Democratic primary in his bid for a second term in office Saturday, defeating U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who gave up her seat in Congress to challenge Ige.

Ige’s administration fumbled through a false missile alert that sent the state into a panic in January, a major embarrassment for his administration. But the governor’s handling of Kilauea volcano’s latest eruption, which has destroyed more than 700 homes and displaced thousands, as well as devastating flooding on Kauai got him back on track.

Ige campaigned on his efforts to increase affordable housing and address the state’s homeless problem. Hawaii has had the highest rate of homeless per capita in the nation for many years and is one of the most expensive places to live in the country.

Ige said he expects to win the general election in November, but he’s not going to take his challenger, House Minority Leader state Rep. Andria Tupola, for granted.

But Ige will likely win the general election. Hawaii has had only two Republican governors since it became a state, and the vast majority of the islands’ residents consistently vote blue.

Former Congressman Ed Case emerged from a crowded field to win the Democratic Party primary in the hopes of filling Hanabusa’s spot in Congress.

The 65-year-old fiscal conservative defeated five other major candidates, including Lt. Gov. Doug Chin, who is the architect of Hawaii’s legal battle against President Donald Trump’s travel ban.

He’ll face Republican Cam Cavasso, a former state representative who previously ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.