NEWYou can now listen to articles!
Progressive Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, cruised to victory in her primary on Saturday, setting up a showdown with Republican state Sen. Brenton Awa in November.
Tokuda is seeking a third term representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes the entire state outside the island of Oahu, as well as rural and suburban parts of Oahu itself.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the district D+12. That means it’s highly likely that Democrats keep hold of it in this year’s midterms.
2026 MIDTERMS STATE OF PLAY: KEY RACES UNFOLD AS STEVENS, EL-SAYED BATTLE IN MICHIGAN
Rep. Jill Tokuda speaks as Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve appear at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on May 15, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Tokuda defeated three primary challengers to win the Democratic Party nomination, though none posed a significant threat to her campaign despite a wider intraparty civil war that’s toppled several House Democrat incumbents throughout the country.
Her fellow delegation member, Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, faced a significant primary challenge from his left in his own race, though Case is seen as much more moderate than Tokuda.
HAWAII DEMOCRATIC HOUSE CANDIDATE FACES FELONY THREAT CHARGES AFTER BEACH FIGHT CAUGHT ON VIDEO
Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, arrives for the start of the House Appropriations Committee markup of several appropriations bills in the Rayburn House Office Building on July 10, 2024. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Tokuda’s race did attract some controversy, however, after one of her longshot opponents was arrested for a violent altercation that was caught on camera at Keawakapu Beach.
Kirill Basin allegedly threatened a man who asked him to turn down his music, according to Honolulu Civil Beat.
Video shows Kirill Basin swinging a beach chair during an Aug. 1 confrontation at Keawakapu Beach in South Kihei, Hawaii. (Maile Stiller-Elliott via Storyful)
A violent clash ensued after a bystander intervened, and Basin allegedly pulled out a knife.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE APP
Tokuda told Hawaii News Now that the video was “disturbing” and said “any individual, whether you’re running for office or a public citizen, you need to be held accountable for your actions.”
