Hawaii House Republicans on the brink of losing half their seats
With one final printout remaining, three GOP members trail in tight races while three others hold narrow leads in the state's one-sided legislature.
By Dominic Foster ·
Ten Republican seats in the Hawaii House of Representatives could shrink to just five or six after the final printout drops. Ellie Cochran already lost her bid for re-election in District 14, having switched parties only months before the vote.
Three other incumbents are trailing as the count nears its end. Joe Gedeon faces a deficit in District 18. Garner Shimizu is behind in District 32. Daniel DeGracia trails in District 39, a seat vacated by Elijah Pierick when he moved to run for state Senate.
Three other Republican candidates are ahead, but by narrow margins. Julie Reyes Oda leads in District 40. Diamond Garcia holds an edge in District 42. Kanani Souza is ahead in District 43, where he faces Republican Sheila Medeiros in a primary do-over.
Three members are in stronger positions. Lauren Matsumoto in District 38 and David Alcos in District 41 were unopposed. Chris Muraoka in District 45 leads by a wide margin.
Political analyst Colin Moore pointed to low turnout among GOP voters as a key factor. He noted that many Republicans stayed home because President Trump was not on the ballot, a presence that had helped boost the party two years ago.
Shimizu said the party is trying to offer voters a choice and provide balance in government. Matsumoto described Hawaii as having the most unbalanced split between Republicans and Democrats in the nation. She said the small caucus forces more dialogue and scrutiny on bills, including those regarding taxes and cost of living.
In the state Senate, Republicans will hold three seats. Brenton Awa and Samantha DeCorte are not up for re-election. Bob McDermott beat Kurt Fevella in the District 20 primary and leads Democrat Markus Owens by a wide margin. No timeline has been set for the release of the final House printout.
