Moderate Democrat Ed Case defeats progressive challenger in Hawaii congressional primary

Aug 9, 2026

Moderate Democratic Representative Ed Case soundly defeated progressive challenger Jarrett Keohokalole in Hawaii's 1st Congressional District primary on August 8, 2026, securing approximately 60% of the vote. Case's victory defied a national trend of progressive challengers ousting moderate, pro-Israel Democratic incumbents. Keohokalole, a 42-year-old state senator, campaigned on generational change and criticized Case's votes on Israel military aid and the SAVE Act. Case successfully defended his seat by emphasizing his congressional seniority and legislative independence.

Case primary victory over Keohokalole

▪Representative Ed Case will face Republican Adriel Lam, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, in the November 2026 general election.
▪Representative Ed Case won approximately 57% to 60% of the vote, while state Senator Jarrett Keohokalole received approximately 34% to 36% with over 90% of the votes counted.
▪Representative Ed Case defeated progressive challenger Jarrett Keohokalole in the Democratic primary for Hawaii's 1st Congressional District on August 8, 2026.

Progressive wave in Democratic primaries

▪Progressive candidates have recently won high-profile Democratic primaries, including Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, while democratic socialist Francesca Hong leads a gubernatorial primary in Wisconsin.
▪Representative Ed Case's primary victory defied a recent national trend in 2026 where progressive challengers ousted moderate Democratic incumbents in states like New York and Colorado.

Israel military aid vote

▪State Senator Jarrett Keohokalole criticized Representative Ed Case during the primary campaign for voting to send military aid to Israel.
▪Representative Ed Case's primary victory stood out against a national trend of progressive challengers ousting pro-Israel Democratic incumbents in 2026.

SAVE America Act vote

▪State Senator Jarrett Keohokalole criticized Representative Ed Case for being one of the few House Democrats to vote for the initial April 2025 iteration of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.
▪Representative Ed Case defended his initial vote on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act by stating it allowed alternative written affidavits for voters lacking citizenship documentation, but he opposed a later version of the bill.

Congressional seniority benefits

▪Representative Ed Case defended his record by arguing that his congressional seniority and position on the House Appropriations Committee help secure federal funding for Hawaii during crises.
▪Representative Ed Case highlighted his decade-plus of congressional service, which includes representing Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District from 2002 to 2007 and the 1st Congressional District since 2019.

Generational leadership change

▪The 42-year-old state Senator Jarrett Keohokalole campaigned on a platform of bringing a new generation of leadership to Washington and criticized the 73-year-old Representative Ed Case as out of touch.
▪State Senator Jarrett Keohokalole criticized Representative Ed Case for accepting campaign donations from businesses and failing to sufficiently oppose the Trump administration's immigration policies.