Green Party candidate edges ahead in state House race

Hawaii’s Legislature is on the cusp of having its first member who is neither a Democrat nor a Republican.

Green Party candidate Pa‘ele Kiakona this morning pulled ahead of Democratic contender Sne Patel in a still-tight race to unseat Republican incumbent Rep. Elle Cochran (R, Waihee-Lahaina-Lahainaluna).

Kiakona had a 107-vote lead over Patel after the state Office of Elections released a third update this morning for results from Tuesday’s general election. A final tally that still could affect who wins and loses in the contest dominated by Kiakona and Patel, along with a few other races for seats in the Legislature, remains pending.

As of late Tuesday night, Patel, president of the LahainaTown Action Committee, was holding a slim lead over Kiakona, a high-profile advocate for survivors of the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires representing the grassroots organization Lahaina Strong.

There are also two other legislative races where leaders as of Tuesday night are now trailing.

In one of those contests, Rep. Diamond Garcia (R, Ewa-Kapolei) now has a 72-vote lead over Democratic challenger Anthony Paris.

The other change has Rep. Julie Reyes Oda (R, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) leading by 16 votes over Democratic challenger Rose Martinez, who served one term before losing to Reyes Oda in 2024.

If the current results hold, three incumbents in the state Legislature — all Republicans — would be displaced from office. Democrats also have picked up a fourth seat in a race where Democrat Corey Rosenlee, a public school teacher and former Hawaii State Teachers Association leader, overwhelmed Republican Danny Degracia, an ordained minister and unionized state Department of Health program specialist.

Degracia and Rosenlee competed to succeed Rep. Elijah Pierick (R, Royal Kunia-Waipahu-Honouliuli). Pierick decided to seek a seat in the Senate instead of running for reelection in the House. In that Senate race, Pierick lost decisively to incumbent Sen. Rachele Lamosao (D, Pearl City-Waipahu-West Loch).