Trending
Incumbent state lawmakers in Maui County cruised to comfortable leads in the first round of results released late Tuesday night.
Democratic state Rep. Justin Woodson held the largest margin with 6,571 votes, or 74.5 percent, to Aloha ‘Aina candidate Kahala Jen Chrupalyk’s 1,250 votes, or 14.2 percent, as of the first printout released at 10:54 p.m. Tuesday. Woodson represents Central Maui’s District 9 and ran unchallenged in the primary.
Democratic state Rep. Tina Wildberger in South Maui’s District 11 also secured a strong lead with 7,199 votes, or 64.6 percent, to Aloha ‘Aina candidate Howard Greenberg’s 2,451 votes, or 22 percent.
Democratic Rep. Lynn DeCoite, who won a close contest over Walter Ritte in the primary, coasted to a much more comfortable lead in Tuesday’s general election with 6,666 votes, or 64.3 percent, to Aloha ‘Aina candidate Theresa Kapaku’s 1,737 votes, or 16.8 percent, and Republican Robin Vanderpool’s 1,323 votes, or 12.8 percent. DeCoite currently represents Molokai, Lanai and East Maui in District 13.
In West Maui’s District 10, Democratic Rep. Angus McKelvey collected 5,470 votes, or 57.5 percent, to Republican Kanamu Balinbin’s 2,852 votes, or 30 percent, and Aloha ‘Aina candidate Travis Gyldstrand’s 517 votes, or 5.4 percent.
In Central Maui’s District 5, Democratic Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran, the only one of Maui’s three state senators up for reelection this year, took a commanding lead at the first printout with 13,054 votes, or 61 percent, to Republican Christy Kajiwara-Gusman’s 6,077 votes, or 28.4 percent, and Aloha ‘Aina candidate Rynette Ipo Keen’s 917 votes, or 4.3 percent.
Maui’s two other senators - Roz Baker and J. Kalani English - were not up for reelection this year. Two House races were already decided in the primary because only Democrats were running; Troy Hashimoto was reelected to Central Maui’s District 8, while Kyle Yamashita was reelected to Upcountry’s District 12.