Hawaii Republicans lost one state representative in the 76-member state Legislature early Wednesday morning when the first Election Day tallies were finally released, while also seeing several Democratic freshmen representatives win election who will vote on laws affecting the entire state when the next session convenes in January.
The GOP had increased its representation at the state Capitol in the 2022 mid-term elections — especially from West Oahu — for a total of two state senators in the 25-member state Senate and six Republicans in the 51-member state House.
But some voters in Oahu’s West Side House District 39, instead, chose Democratic challenger Corey Rosenlee, 51 — who teaches junior- and senior-level social studies and history at James Campbell High School who had termed out after six years as head of the influential Hawaii State Teachers Association.
In the run-up to the election, Rosenlee previously told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he hopes to push for child care tax credits, expansion of universal child care and paid family leave.
He called public education and helping students — and their families — afford a college education “a top priority of mine.”
Rosenlee wants to make tuition at any of the University of Hawaii’s seven community colleges free for all Hawaii students while helping high school seniors apply for college financial aid and, especially, even free tuition — especially for students representing the first in their families to enroll in higher education.
Rosenlees challenged first-time incumbent Rep. Elijah Pierick, (R, Royal Kunia-Waipahu-Honouliuli), for the second election cycle in a row.
Pierick, an often divisive and evangelical Christian lost to Rosenlee by 478 votes — 3,919 for Rosenlee versus 3,441 for Pierick.
All 51 House members and 13 of the 25 state senators were up for election this year.
Three other first-term, House Republicans from Oahu’s Leeward Side — and first-term, Republican state Sen. Brenton Awa, (Kaneohe-Laie-Mokuleia) — successfully pushed back against stiff Democratic opposition.
Awa told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser early Wednesday morning that, like other in-person, Election Day voters, he chose to show up at Kapolei Hale starting Tuesday night, rather than vote early or by mail-in ballot, which remains overwhelmingly popular across the islands.
Awa waited in line for five hours beginning Tuesday night and represented the last voter in line by Honolulu’s 7 p.m. scheduled close of so-called voter service centers as voters continued to stretch out of both Kapolei Hale and Honolulu Hale all day and night, holding up the release of statewide ballot results, as required by state law.
Awa received 9,001 votes compared to Democratic challenger Ben Shafter’s 8,699 votes to represent Senate District 23, which includes parts of Kaneohe, up further north along the Windward Side and across the North Shore of Oahu.
Shafer had been endorsed by former Democratic politicians and some of Hawaii’s labor unions.
Awa, a former television journalist, represents a different and independent breed of Hawaii politician who does not accept political donations or gifts and declined to campaign or hold political events during his second, successful attempt for the Senate this election cycle.
He has championed state-backed, funding for all of Hawaii’s political candidates that proponents argue will encourage a different generation of candidates put off by political fund raising, reduce their reliance on big money donors and reduce the temptation for political corruption.
During the last legislative session, Awa frequently was the lone vote of dissent in the Senate and remained entangled in a Republican political struggle with state Sen. Kurt Fevealla over who would lead the two-person, Republican caucus in the Senate.
Fevella, (R, Ewa Beach-Ocean Pointe-Iroquois Point), was not up for election this cycle.
On the other side of the Capitol in the House, two other first-time, West Oahu incumbent Republican Reps. David Alcos III and Diamond Garcia won reelection.
Alcos, (R, Ocean Pointe-Barbers Point), beat Navy veteran John Clark III with 4,020 votes in Wednesday morning’s first election results compared to 3,236 for Clark to represent House District 41.
And Garcia, (Ewa-Kapolei), beat Democratic challenger Anthony Paris with 3,315 votes compared to 2,927 for Paris to represent House District 42.
Joining Rosenlee in the incoming class of freshmen House members are first-time Democratic Reps. Shirley Ann Templo, (D, Kalihi-Kalihi Kai-Hickam Village), Ikaika Hussey, (D, Kamehameha Heights-Kalihi Valley), and Mike Lee, (D, Kailua-Kaneohe Bay).
Lee’s win suggested that Kailua has turned left after decades of Republican representation in the House under former Rep. Cynthia Thielen.
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