Green Re-elected as Hawaii Governor With Kawakami as Lt. Governor
Josh Green won a second term as Hawaii's governor, with Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami elected as his new lieutenant governor, a result that's positive for continuity in the state's current housing and homelessness push.
- Green and Kawakami won easily, with Democrats dominating the race.
- The pair plan to focus on building 50,000 more homes and cutting homelessness to near zero.
- They also want to lock in permanent tax breaks for middle-class residents to help with the cost of living.
- Kawakami brings experience managing Kauai through COVID and storm recovery, which Green says complements his own crisis-response background.
- Energy costs remain one of the big challenges the new administration says it will tackle next.
Outlook: Kawakami will stay on as Kauai mayor until December 1 before transitioning into the lieutenant governor role, with the new team saying their housing and cost-of-living agenda starts immediately.