HONOLULU — The Latest on Hawaii’s Nov. 6 general election:
6:05 p.m.
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii defeated Republican Ron Curtis to win a second term.
The Democrat had an advantage going into Tuesday’s midterm election as an incumbent with broad name recognition.
Her challenger is a retired engineer who has never run for public office.
Hirono has served in the state Legislature, as lieutenant governor and U.S. representative. The 71-year-old kept a relatively low profile early on in the Senate, but has gained attention for her outspoken opposition to President Donald Trump and his policies.
Hirono urged men to “shut up and step up” when the Senate was considering confirming Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Some Hawaii voters cheered the statement, while others accused her of being anti-male.
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6 p.m.
Hawaii Gov. David Ige has won re-election after defeating Republican state Rep. Andria Tupola.
The Democratic incumbent entered Tuesday’s general election as the favorite after what he called a grueling primary election campaign against U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa.
Ige vowed in his second term to boost affordable housing in a state where half of renters spend more than 30 percent of their monthly income on housing.
The 61-year-old promoted his record of boosting pay for teachers and installing air conditioning in over 1,000 public school classrooms.
Tupola focused her campaign on Hawaii’s high cost of living. She vowed to decrease Hawaii’s homeless rate and boost housing construction by reducing the length of time required to obtain permits.
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4:35 p.m.
Guam has elected its first female governor.
Voters on Tuesday elected Democrat Lourdes Leon Guerrero. She defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio.
Leon Guerrero said her victory as the first woman governor is historic for the island and that part of the world. She called her victory humbling and an honor.
She says her skills as a former nurse, successful businesswoman and state senator will improve the lives of the people of Guam, a U.S. territory in the western Pacific. Her first order of business will be to work with the Department of Revenue and Taxation to stabilize finances and streamline bureaucracy.
Guam overwhelmingly voted for Hillary Clinton with more than 70 percent of votes cast in 2016. As a territory, Guam’s vote didn’t count in the official count of votes.
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4:10 p.m.
Meghan McCormick-Ugalino, a special education teacher living in Honolulu, said that while she doesn’t align with either party, she tends to be more liberal and vote for Democrats.
After casting her ballot Tuesday, McCormick-Ugalino, 32, said she voted for Gov. David Ige, but not necessarily because she likes the incumbent.
She said Republican candidate for governor state Rep. Andria Tupola has strong ideas. However, some of the fighting between Tupola and her running mate Marissa Kerns turned her off.
McCormick-Ugalino said she does like Ige’s running mate, Dr. Josh Green, mostly because he believes in medical equity and understands what it’s like to work and live in Hawaii.
“As a teacher with a low salary it really helps to vote for someone who understands what it’s like to have to work every day to make a living here,” she said of Green.
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11:40 a.m.
Brittany Jeffers of Honolulu says Gov. David Ige of the Democratic Party deserves to be re-elected to another term to finish what he needs to get done. The 29-year-old property manager says he’s a good governor.
Voters are at the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the midterm elections. Polls wills stay open until 6 p.m.
Robert Hackman says he voted for Republican Andria Tupola for governor. The Honolulu retiree says Hawaii has been ruled for too long by one party, and it hasn’t done a very good job. He says he voted in favor of a two-party system.
Candidates are also facing off in races for Senate, House, state Legislature, county council and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Maui and Kauai counties are holding mayoral elections.
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1 a.m.
Polls in Hawaii will be opening at 7 a.m.
Voters will decide who they want to be governor and lieutenant governor for the next four years.
Gov. David Ige is seeking another a second term. His running mate on the Democratic ticket is Dr. Josh Green, a state senator from the Big Island.
State Rep. Andria Tupola is challenging Ige. Her Republican Party running mate is Marissa Kerns.
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono is hoping voters will send her back to Washington for a second six-year term. Her Republican opponent is retired engineer Ron Curtis.
Democrat Ed Case faces Republican Cam Cavasso in the race for the 1st Congressional District. Republican Brian Evans is challenging Democrat Tulsi Gabbard in Hawaii’s other U.S. House seat.
Polls close at 6 p.m.
Aloha Kakou,
It would seem Mazie would appreciate the typo geographic correction, wherein this article says: Hirono of Hawaii; it’s actually: Hirono of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. Being a U.S. Senator from Japan Is a remarkable achievement, you’d hardly find a high ranking elected official in Japan born in the USA.
MAHALO,
Charles