A Hawaii Republican candidate is pitching his party label as a bargaining chip rather than an ideology, arguing it would win the islands favors it cannot get now.

• Awa breaks with his party on most issues — he wants the Epstein files released, opposes abortion restrictions, criticizes ICE tactics, and opposes war because of the cost.
• His argument: as a swing Republican vote the president needs, he could trade that vote to protect Native Hawaiian rights and schools from conservative lawsuits.
• He says he would not be a yes man to the president or the party.
• He points to his record as one of very few Republicans in Hawaii's state senate, where he still got concessions from the governor.

Outlook: Awa will keep running on the leverage argument to win over Democratic-leaning voters who agree with him on policy but distrust the R next to his name.