Congressman-elect and current State Senator Kaialiʻi Kahele (District 1 – Hilo) officially announced today his resignation from the Hawaiʻi State Senate. Kahele, who was appointed in 2016 to fill the seat of his late father, Senator Gilbert Kahele, was elected on November 3, 2020 to represent Hawaiʻi’s Second Congressional District.
During his tenure in the Hawaiʻi State Senate, Congressman-elect Kahele served as chair of the Senate Committee on Higher Education (2016 – 2018) and the Senate Committee on Water and Land (2018 – 2020). He also served as Majority Whip (2017 – 2018), Majority Floor Leader (2018 – 2020), Vice-Chair of the Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs and was a member of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
“It has been an honor to represent and serve the people of Hilo in the Hawaiʻi State Senate for the past four years,” said Congressman-elect Kahele. “As a member of Congress, I look forward to continue working with our State leaders to rebuild our economy and create a more resilient Hawaiʻi for future generations.”
Democratic Party officers from nine precincts in Senate District 1 will convene virtually on Wednesday, December 23 at 6 p.m. to identify three names that will be transmitted to Governor Ige for consideration. The Governor has sixty days to fill the vacancy.