Rep. Kai Kahele, the absent congressman who kept his day-job as an airlines pilot, failed in his bid to become the next governor of Hawaii.
Kahele, a one-term congressman, incurred a dramatic loss Saturday in the Democratic primary at the hands of Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who is now favored to sail to victory in the general election. He had trailed Green by double-digits in polling for months and was unable to narrow the gap despite courting prominent progressive support including from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). With 90% of precincts reporting, Green was projected the winner with 63.7% support, while Kahele was third with 13.7%, according to the Associated Press.
ABSENTEE CONGRESSMAN TRAILING IN HAWAII DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY POLL
Back in April, Kahele drew national attention after an analysis by Honolulu Civil Beat found that he did not cast a vote in person since January. The analysis also concluded that there was evidence he spent very little time in Washington, D.C. during that period. In response to criticisms, a spokesperson for Kahele explained that he had been voting by proxy to limit his exposure to COVID-19.
“To limit his exposure to COVID-19 and the potential to spread the virus, our office has tried to reduce Rep. Kahele’s cross-country travel while ensuring he fulfills all of his responsibilities in Congress,” the spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.
The House temporarily permitted members to vast proxy votes following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Although initially intended to be temporary, the measure has yet to be lifted and some members such as Kahele have taken advantage.
“The Congressman has not missed a single vote this year. He continues to participate in HASC and T&I Committee hearings and maximizes his time back home by engaging with his constituents and addressing their concerns at the federal level,” the statement continued.
Thanks to proxy voting, Kahele’s voting record remains better than the average congressman, missing about 0.7% of roll call votes between January 2021 and July 2022, better than the median 2.1% missed votes, according to Gov Track.
Throughout his campaign, Kahele has championed a number of key progressive causes, railing against the power of money in politics and promoting environmentalist initiatives. He notably, failed to file the necessary paperwork for public financing and has lagged behind his top opponents with a lackluster fundraising haul.
There is a clear choice in this election: a bought out governor controlled by the multi-millionaire elite & lobbyists or a better future for Hawaiʻi’s people.
This is our moment. WE are who our kūpuna have been waiting for.
Lets seize this opportunity together!
Mahalo – Kai pic.twitter.com/VBBF1NF1XY
— Kai Kahele (@kaikahele) August 5, 2022
The congressman also faced criticism following revelations that he was working part-time for Hawaiian Airlines as a pilot during his time in Congress. Kahele argued his earnings from his aerial side hustle fell within the limits of House ethics.
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Similar to Kahele, Green also drew national recognition for his actions related to pandemic policies. With his background as an emergency-room doctor, Green helped craft the state’s policies to combat the pandemic. He drew praise from the medical community for the low caseload during the early stages of the pandemic, but also faced criticism from protesters frustrated with vaccines and mask requirements.
Green was first elected lieutenant governor in 2018. His bid for governor earned the support of some of the largest unions in the state. Hawaii has not put a Republican in a statewide office since 2010, giving Green favorable odds of winning the general election amid a projected national red wave.
