State Rep. Sylvia Luke — chairwoman of the powerful state House Finance Committee — today announced her intention to enter what is likely to be a crowded race for the open seat of lieutenant governor next year

Luke, (D, Punchbowl—Pauoa—Nuuanu), said in a statement that “I have had the honor of serving as Chair of the House Finance Committee for the last decade. That experience has given me insight into the wide-ranging needs of the state and has also allowed me to work with many individuals and agencies to create laws that lay the foundation for significant progress in several important areas.

“As Lieutenant Governor, I will partner with the next Governor to implement the laws I helped pass to increase our stock of affordable housing, ensure all 3-4 years old have access to preschool, increase broadband capacity, and use unused school lands for teacher housing. I am ready for this challenge and look forward to formally launching my campaign in the coming weeks.”

Luke joins a race that so far has attracted former state Sen. Jill Tokuda, who represented the Windward side and lost to current Lt. Gov. Josh Green in the 2018 Democratic Primary; and former City Council Chairman Ikaika Anderson, who resigned his Windward Council seat in 2020 three months before his term was scheduled to end.

More people are expected to announce their candidacies in the coming weeks and months.

All state House and Senate seats and the governor and lieutenant governor offices are up for election. Gov. David Ige is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

Luke graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1989 and received her law degree from the University of San Francisco Law School in 1995. She was elected to the House in 1998.