Native Hawaiian programs facing federal lawsuits became the main dividing line in Hawaii's District 2 congressional race — a worrying sign for people who rely on those programs.

• Incumbent Jill Tokuda calls the biggest threat to Native Hawaiians an attack on their indigenous status.
• Challenger Brenton Awa, who is Native Hawaiian, pointed to the lawsuit against Kamehameha Schools and says people from both parties are coming to him for help.
• Both candidates promised to work across party lines no matter which party controls Congress.
• Separately, Honolulu's city council wants to allow ads on the outside of Skyline trains and buses to help close a huge gap between what transit costs to run and what it brings in.

Outlook: Expect Native Hawaiian legal protections to stay the defining issue of the race as voters head to the polls.