(The Center Square) – The Hawaii House of Representatives will be looking for a new leader in November following the defeat of House Speaker Scott Saiki in the primary election.
Saiki received 44.6% of the vote to Kim Coco Iwamoto’s 49.37%, according to results from the Hawaii Office of Elections. He was first elected to the Legislature in 1994 and has served as House Speaker since the 2018 legislative session.
Iwamoto ran on a platform of change, supporting universal child care and elder care, increasing property taxes on properties that don’t house in-state residents and a tax on air travel, according to her website.
Saiki said in a statement to Hawaii News Now that he was grateful to the residents who supported him.
“This is part of the democratic process and people who run for office know exactly what they are getting into and what the risks and benefits are,” Saiki said.
Iwamoto ran against Saiki before and lost by just 200 votes in 2022.
Democrats for Hawaii’s two Congressional and one U.S. Senate seat defeated party rivals, but all face Republican challengers in November, according to election results.
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono fought off two challengers to win the Democratic nomination for her seat. She received 84.6% of the votes to Ron Curtis’ 6.9% and Clyde McClain Lewman’s 2.1%. Hirono faces Republican Bob McDermott, who held off five challengers to win the race.
U.S. Rep. Ed Case took 82.4% of the vote, while his challenger, Cecil Hale, received 7.1%. Patrick Largey ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda did not have Democratic opposition but will go against Republican Steve Bond in November.
