Native Hawaiian candidate advances to November in congressional race - ICT
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Brenton Awa could be the third Native Hawaiian to serve in Congress since Hawai’i statehood

Kalle BenallieICT

One of the two Native Hawaiian candidates running for Congress continues to the general election.

Native Hawaiian candidate Brenton Awa won the Republican ticket uncontested for U.S. House in District 2 in the state’s Aug. 8 primary election.

He will face Democrat Jill Tokuda in the general election on Nov. 3.

If Awa is successful in the general election, he could be the third Native Hawaiian in Congress since statehood.

Awa runs for the same seat that was once held by Kaialiʻi “Kai” Kahele, Democrat, from 2021 to 2023. Kahele became the second Native Hawaiian to represent Hawai’i since statehood as a voting member. Daniel Akaka was in Congress before him from 1977 to 2013. He died in 2018. There have been five Native Hawaiian delegates before who served as non-voting delegates.

Jarrett Keohokalole, 43, was the second Native Hawaiian candidate running for U.S. House. He lost the Democratic primary race to incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Case, 73, for the 1st Congressional District.

Awa currently holds the seat in the Hawai’i State Senate for District 23, assuming his role in 2022, with the term ending in 2028. Awa was a former news anchor at a local Hawaiian news station until 2021.

He is a member of three committees: the Agriculture and Environment Committee, the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Some recent legislation he has sponsored include having the Hawaii Department of Education incorporate financial literacy education for public school students by 2030, exempting medical cannabis patients from the Drug Enforcement Administration and recognizing the coconut palm as a culturally significant plant and sustainable staple food source in Hawai’i.

His main issue his campaign outlines is affordability. A few of what Awa hopes to address are air travel aid, electricity costs, childcare costs, lowering gas prices, lowering vehicle registration for Hawai’i residents and housing.

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