Democrats across the country are celebrating after major wins flipped congressional districts and governorships long held by the Republican Party.
Here in Hawaiʻi, Gov. Josh Green sailed to reelection with over 70% of the vote. He addressed his supporters at a Democrat watch party at Aloha Tower on election night.
"It has been a big, big night for America tonight," he said to the cheering crowd.
"I believe there has to be balance in this country to care for people, and that is what you saw tonight because of the generosity that you have given us here in Hawaiʻi."
Green has already begun assembling his second-term cabinet and decided not to renew Attorney General Anne Lopez's contract. The decision was confirmed by the state Department of the Attorney General and in an email sent by Lopez.
Joining Green at Aloha Tower on election night was Rep. Ed Case, who similarly coasted to reelection. He spoke with HPR about the responsibility his party has now that they've taken control of Congress.
"We have our own responsibility to lead. We can't just simply be in the minority and yell and scream," he said.
"It's our kuleana to advance a vision and a message for the country that will actually achieve what people want: affordability, the cost of living, inflation, health care, jobs, child care, on and on and on."
His fellow congress member Jill Tokuda was also on hand to partake in the celebrations and share her vision for the future.
"We are taking back our country. We are restoring the rule of law," she said amid cheers. "We believe in the Constitution. We believe in humanity. We believe in aloha."
Neither of Hawaiʻi's senators were up for reelection, but big changes still lay ahead as Sen. Brian Shatz is poised to take over as Senate Majority Whip.
With election celebrations coming to a close, HPR had the chance to speak with Sen. Mazie Hirono before she returned to the nation's capital. With Democrats controlling Congress, her plan for resisting the Trump administration is clear.
She told HPR that there were "two very specific things that have resulted in higher costs for food and everything else. And one is the war in Iran."
Enacting Congress's authority to end the Iran war was her first goal; the second, she said, was that "we need to get rid of these tariffs, which are illegal already."
Making sure that her work in D.C. can bring home benefits for her the people of Hawaiʻi remained one of her top priorities as well.
"We're going to continue to fight for what's best for Hawaiʻi," she said.
"And the president has actually been with us in declaring national disaster declarations, so that we can bring the federal resources to bear in our ability to come back from the damages of these hurricanes," she continued. "I think that we have done as well as we can."
Click here to read more of HPR's post-election coverage.
This story aired on The Conversation on Nov. 5, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
