Case fends off challenge from his left in Hawaii Democratic House primary

Campaign Case fends off challenge from his left in Hawaii Democratic House primary Comments: by Sarah Fortinsky - 08/09/26 6:12 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Sarah Fortinsky - 08/09/26 6:12 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) was projected to win his Democratic primary on Saturday, fending off a a progressive challenger, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Case, one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, defeated 42-year-old state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who ran a campaign calling for a “new generation” of leaders and attacking the 73-year-old incumbent from the left. Three other candidates also sought the Democratic nomination.

Case has served in Congress for more than a decade — representing Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District since 2019 after representing the state’s 2nd Congressional District from 2002 to 2007. He will face GOP nominee Adriel Lam in November.

Case’s successful renomination bid comes as a number of his Democratic colleagues have not been so lucky, getting ousted by left-leaning challengers in states like Colorado and New York.

Throughout the campaign, Keohokalole pushed for fresh leaders in Washington, but Case often pushed back, saying he understands the push to get rid of incumbents but that his seniority and experience as a plus.

“You can argue it all you want, but in Congress seniority matters,” Case told Hawaii Public Radio (HPR) in an interview late last month.

“The more you’re here, the more influence you have, the more relationships you have, the more know-how you have, the more experience you have to get things done — as I did in three crises in a row,” he added, noting that he used his position on the House Appropriations Committee to help secure aid during the pandemic and during the Red Hill and Maui wildfires.

Keohokalole frequently called out Case for being one of four Democrats last year to join Republicans in a vote on a version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which, in part, would require people to prove their citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

Trump and his core allies have been pushing to pass a version of the legislation, which has repeatedly failed in the Senate. Case has defended the vote, saying the version he supported would have allowed alternatives for people without identification, “up to and including simply attesting that you were a U.S. citizen,” he told HPR.

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