Hawaii Legislature: Most Incumbents Win, But There Are Exceptions
Hanohano, Solomon and Cabanilla among the incumbents who have lost or are trailing.
Voters throughout Hawaii are returning legislative incumbents to office with a couple notable exceptions in Saturday’s primary.
That’s according to the state Office of Elections final summary report as of early Sunday.
The exceptions:
• Controversial Big Island Rep. Faye Hanohano was far behind challenger Joy San Buenaventura. But that district is in the area where final results will be delayed because of storm damage.
• Also on the Big Island, former lawmaker Lorraine Inouye beat incumbent Malama Solomon by a wide margin.
• Challenger Matt LoPresti handily defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Rida Cabanilla.
A woman goes into voting booth at Kalani High School.
PF Bentley/Civil Beat
Thirteen of the 25 state Senate seats are up this year, as are all 51 seats in the state House of Representatives.
Here’s how key match-ups fared Saturday:
State Senate
District 4, Hawaii Island: Challenger Lorraine Inouye, a former senator and Big Island mayor, appeared to be easily besting incumbent Democratic Sen. Malama Solomon. Solomon is a high-profile and sometimes controversial senator who is particularly passionate about Hawaiian issues.
District 6, Maui: Democratic Sen. Roz Baker defeated challenger Terez Amato, who ran on a pro-environmental, anti-special interests platform. Baker heads the Senate’s Commerce an Consumer Protection and is vice chair on other important committees.
District 21, Oahu: Democratic Sen. Maile Shimabukuro held off challenger Michael Kahikina, a former legislator. Shimabukuro is a former state representative who was appointed to replace Colleen Hanabusa when Hanabusa was elected to Congress in 2010.
District 23, Oahu: Republican Rep. Richard Fale  dominated former Rep. Coleen Meyer and Norman Kaaipohaku J. Brown. This is the seat being vacated by Clayton Hee, who lost his bid for lieutenant governor Saturday. Democrat Gil Riviere, a former Republican, awaits the GOP candidate in the fall.
State House
District 4, Hawaii Island: Democratic Rep. Faye Hanohano was far behind challenger Joy San Buenaventura. The other candidates, Brian F. Jordan, Leilani Bronson-Crelly and Julia K. Peleiholani, were trailing. But the rural Puna district includes the two voting precincts that were closed because of storm damage, so meaningful results won’t be available for days. State elections officials are working to reschedule voting for area residents via mail-in ballots.
District 5, Hawaii Island: Democratic Rep. Richard Creagan vanquished his challenger, Gene “Bucky” Leslie. Creagan was appointed to the seat to replace Denny Coffman, who stepped down last year.
District 6, Hawaii Island: Democratic Rep. Nicole Lowen thwarted challenger Kalei Akaka, granddaughter of former U.S. Sen. Dan Akaka. It was a rematch for the two candidates; in 2012, Akaka unsuccessfully sought legal redress for what she described as massive voting conduct irregularities in the primary.
District 9, Maui: Democratic Rep. Justin Woodson got the better of challenger James “Kimo” Apana, a former Maui mayor. Woodson was appointed to the seat last year to replace Gil Keith-Agaran, who was appointed to the Senate when Shan Tsutsui became lieutenant governor.
District 15, Kauai: Democratic Rep. Jimmy Tokioka trounced challenger Dylan Hooser, son of Kauai County Councilman Gary Hooser. The race is among several that have pitted pro-GMO candidates against anti-GMO candidates.
District 38, Oahu: Democratic Rep. Henry Aquino resisted a challenge from former Rep. Alex Sonson. Sonson, an attorney, has twice ran unsuccessfully against state Sen. Clarence Nishihara.
District 41, Oahu: Challenger Matt LoPresti demolished incumbent Democratic Rep. Rida Cabanilla  in a rematch from 2012. Cabanilla is best known for her advocacy for helping homeless people but has sometimes made headlines for questions about ethics. LoPresti will face a GOP candidate Bryan Jeremiah and Libertarian Tom Berg, a former Honolulu City Councilman.
District 42, Oahu: Democratic Rep. Sharon Har creamed challengers Michael Golojuch Jr., a gay rights activist, and teacher Nicole Ferguson. Har was one of the most outspoken opponents of same-sex marriage legislation last year and has frequently clashed with House leadership since Joe Souki replaced Calvin Say as speaker two years ago.
District 48, Oahu: In the hunt for former Rep. Jessica Wooley’s seat, attorney Jarrett K. Keohokalole overpowered environmental activist Robert Harris. Harris, as head of the Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club, was instrumental in helping Wooley defeat Pono Chong in 2012 when the two representatives were thrown into the same reapportioned district. Harris is on leave from his day job while he seeks the House seat.
District 50, Oahu: Republican Rep. Cynthia Thielen licked Kailua pastor Joan Hood. Thielen is a moderate who has fought for renewable energy and hemp research. The Thielen-Hood race is one of several legislative contests that center in part on same-sex marriage; Thielen voted for it, Hood opposes it.
For complete election results, visit the .
