Editor’s note: HPR senior government reporter Audrey McAvoy previously covered the lieutenant governor’s campaigns was MP for Au Belatti And Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami.
Civil litigator John Choi is among those vying for the Democratic Party’s nomination for lieutenant governor, one of the most closely watched races in Hawaii’s Aug. 8 primary.
Lieutenant governor is a relatively low-profile job, but one that has the potential to lead to higher office down the road.
Choi said he decided to run after seeing many powerful Democrats rallying behind Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami.
He assumed that Kawakami would definitely win and then emerge victorious in an eventual run for governor in the 2030 election.
“When I saw the Democratic political machine pushing a candidate, I thought, my goodness, we can’t have the same policies for another 12 years with nothing changing and big money talking about the people’s needs,” Choi said in a phone interview with HPR.
Choi has run for office before. Two years ago, he ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary to represent Kapahulu and Kaimukī in the state House of Representatives.
He wants Hawaii to increase public financing of elections to eliminate the influence of powerful donors in politics.
“We’ve had one-party rule for 60 to 70 years and we should be doing a lot better than we are now. And I think the influence of big money has really corrupted our system where working families have no voice,” Choi said.
By law, the lieutenant governor has no major responsibilities and often works behind the scenes. But it is a statewide office, and through it a politician can gain notoriety.
The professional potential of the job is a great attraction for many. In addition to Governor Josh Green, US Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz were also lieutenant governors.
Those responsible oversee the legal process when someone changes their name. They also certify government documents used abroad.
An important task is to step in when the governor is absent. This can be crucial in the event of a forest fire or other natural disaster.
They have so few legal obligations that they often have the time and latitude to promote their own preferred projects, said Doug Chin, who served as vice governor for 10 months in 2018 after Shan Tsutsui resigned.
“They can advance certain plans and policies that are very, very important to them,” Chin said.
As lieutenant governor, Green took the lead on some health issues. That fit with his experience as an emergency physician.
Chin says he wasn’t in office long enough to develop his own project, so he continued Tsutsui’s youth sports development programs.
Choi said every home should have solar panels and batteries and Hawaii is an ideal location for underwater data centers.
Hawaii can be a U.S. leader in education and environmental protection, he said.
“We can make tremendous strides in improving the lives of Hawaiians, and that is the message I want to send,” Choi said.
Postal voting is underway. To be counted, ballots must be received by August 8th at 7 p.m.
Stay up to date on the upcoming election:
https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/2026-07-24/hawaii-lieutenant-governor-candidate-choi-wants-to-reduce-role-of-money-in-politics
