The 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the governor of Hawaii and lieutenant governor of Hawaii.
After prevailing in an intensely competitive primary election on August 11, 2018, incumbent Democratic governor David Ige ran successfully for re-election to a second term in office, considerably improving on his margin of victory from 2014, in which he only won a plurality.
Republicans Andria Tupola and Marissa Kerns headed one of two 2018 major-party gubernatorial tickets that included two women. The other such ticket had Idaho's 2018 Democratic nominees for governor and lieutenant governor, Paulette Jordan and Kristin Collum. This was Hawaii's only gubernatorial election since 1994 without Linda Lingle or Duke Aiona as the Republican nominee, as well as the first since the 1990 election in which the winner was of a different party than the incumbent president. This was also the first time since 1998 that a Democratic governor of Hawaii was re-elected.
Democratic primary Governor Candidates Declared Ernest Caravalho, Democratic Party of Hawaii chair, House District 29 Colleen Hanabusa, U.S. representative and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 David Ige, incumbent governor Wendell Kaehuaea, security guard and perennial candidate Van Tanabe
Withdrew Clayton Hee, former state senator and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014
Debates Dates Location Ige Hanabusa LinkJuly 6, 2018Honolulu, HawaiiParticipantParticipant Full debate – YouTube
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DavidIge ColleenHanabusa ClaytonHee UndecidedMerriman River GroupMerriman River Group July 19–21, 2018 871 ± 3.3% 43% 34% – 18%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 494 ± 4.5% 44% 40% – 16%QMark Research (D-Hanabusa)QMark Research (D-Hanabusa) June 21 – July 6, 2018 518 ± 4.4% 31% 57% – 11%QMark Research (D-Hanabusa)QMark Research (D-Hanabusa) April 21 – May 7, 2018 888 ± 3.4% 23% 52% 6% 19%Merriman River GroupMerriman River Group May 3–5, 2018 707 ± 3.7% 31% 37% 11% 16%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon March 13–18, 2018 498 ± 4.5% 27% 47% 11% 15%
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates Declared Bernard Carvalho, mayor of Kauaʻi County Will Espero, State Senate vice president and candidate for HI-01 in 2014 Josh Green, state senator Kim Coco Iwamoto, former state board of education member Jill Tokuda, state senator
Withdrew Alan Arakawa, mayor of Maui County (running for Maui County Council)
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BernardCarvalho WillEspero JoshGreen Kim CocoIwamoto JillTokuda UndecidedMerriman River GroupMerriman River Group July 19–21, 2018 871 ± 3.3% 13% 5% 31% 10% 17% 26%Mason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 494 ± 4.5% 14% 6% 34% 10% 14% 22%Merriman River GroupMerriman River Group May 3–5, 2018 707 ± 3.7% 19% 8% 16% 14% 11% 32%Mason-Dixon March 13–18, 2018 498 ± 4.5% 14% 9% 19% 5% 12% 41%
Results
Republican primary Governor Candidates Declared John Carroll, former state representative, and former state senator Ray L'Heureux, president and chairman of the Education Institute of Hawaii, former assistant superintendent, and retired U.S. Marine colonel Andria Tupola, Minority Leader of the Hawaii House of Representatives
Withdrew Bob McDermott, state representative and nominee for HI-02 in 2002
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JohnCarroll RaymondL'Heureux AndriaTupola UndecidedMerriman River GroupMerriman River Group July 19–21, 2018 219 ± 6.6% 22% 4% 39% 22%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 143 ± 8.4% 28% 8% 41% 23%Mason-Dixon March 13–18, 2018 134 ± 8.6% 40% – 28% 32%
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates Declared Marissa Kerns Steve Lipscomb Jeremy Low
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MarissaKerns JeremyLow UndecidedMerriman River GroupMerriman River Group July 19–21, 2018 219 ± 6.6% 26% 20% 54%
Results
Green primary Governor Candidates Declared Jim Brewer
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates Declared Renee Ing
Results
Nonpartisan primary Governor Candidates Declared Selina Blackwell Link El Terrence Teruya
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates Declared Ernest Magaoay Paul Robotti
Results
General election
Predictions SourceRankingAs ofThe Cook Political Report October 26, 2018The Washington Post November 5, 2018FiveThirtyEight November 5, 2018Rothenberg Political Report November 1, 2018Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2018RealClearPolitics November 4, 2018Daily Kos November 5, 2018Fox News November 5, 2018Politico November 5, 2018Governing November 5, 2018
Debates Dates Location Ige Tupola LinkOctober 29, 2018Honolulu, HawaiiParticipantParticipantFull debateFull debate – C-SPAN
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DavidIge (D) AndriaTupola (R) UndecidedMerriman River GroupMerriman River Group October 8–12, 2018 961 ± 4.3% 52% 31% 11%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 57% 34% 9%Mason-Dixon March 13–18, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 51% 24% 25%
with David Ige and John Carroll Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DavidIge (D) JohnCarroll (R) UndecidedMason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 62% 23% 15%Mason-Dixon March 13–18, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 52% 27% 21%
with David Ige and Raymond L'Heureux Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DavidIge (D) RaymondL'Heureux (R) UndecidedMason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 67% 20% 13%
with Colleen Hanabusa and John Carroll Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error ColleenHanabusa (D) JohnCarroll (R) UndecidedMason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 51% 31% 18%Mason-Dixon March 13–18, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 57% 31% 12%
with Colleen Hanabusa and Andria Tupola Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error ColleenHanabusa (D) AndriaTupola (R) UndecidedMason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 48% 35% 17%Mason-Dixon March 13–18, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 56% 28% 16%
with Colleen Hanabusa and Raymond L'Heureux Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error ColleenHanabusa (D) RaymondL'Heureux (R) UndecidedMason-Dixon July 6–11, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 58% 26% 16%
Results
By county
CountyDavid IgeDemocraticAndria TupolaRepublicanAll Others#%#%#%Hawaii38,30165.34%17,95330.63%2,3634.03%Honolulu158,62361.46%90,92935.23%8,5283.3%Kauaʻi15,86863.9%8,13532.76%8303.35%Maui32,14265.18%14,70229.81%2,4695.01% Totals244,93462.67%131,71933.7%14,1903.63%
By congressional district Ige won both congressional districts. District Ige Tupola Representative64%33%Colleen Hanabusa (117th Congress)Ed Case (118th Congress) 61% 35%Tulsi Gabbard
References
External links Candidates at Vote Smart Candidates at Ballotpedia
Official campaign websites David Ige (D) for Governor (archived) Terrence Teruya (NP) for Governor (archived) Andria Tupola (R) for Governor (archived)
Official lieutenant gubernatorial campaign websites Josh Green (D) for Lieutenant Governor (archived) Marissa Kerns (R) for Lieutenant Governor (archived)