Dan Nakaso

The Democratic primary race to represent urban Honolulu in Congress comes down to whether U.S. Rep. Ed Case’s experience — and overall voting record — will be enough to sway Democrats angry over President Donald Trump and his policies.

Hawaii’s next lieutenant governor, 65 state legislative seats, Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees and local races in four Hawaii counties will likely be decided by a small share of registered voters — in a midterm election that’s unlikely to spark a surge in voter turnout.

The race to represent urban Honolulu in Congress has attracted national attention from the New York Times and the Washington Post as an example of younger, left-leaning Democrats like state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole challenging older, more moderate incumbents like U.S. Rep. Ed Case.

Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami and state Rep. Della Au Belatti made their only joint appearance in a televised “conversation” last week in their race to become Hawaii’s next lieutenant governor.

“Imminent” but unspecified “major announcements” concerning Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke are coming following a seven-month investigation by the state Department of the Attorney General into allegations that an “influential state legislator” accepted $35,000 in a paper bag in 2022, according to Gov. Josh Green.

Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who represented Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District in Congress for over 20 years, has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission alleging that U.S. Rep. Ed Case sent a taxpayer-funded “self-promotional” campaign email Monday that violates House rules.

Prosecutors may have a harder time proving the criminal bribery and conspiracy case against Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke than with the other four defendants she was indicted with Friday by a 1st Circuit Court grand jury.

The first batch of mail-in ballots arrived at the state Capitol Monday to be counted for the Aug. 8 party primary elections, with volunteers representing both Republicans and Democrats vouching for the security of how they’re handled inside the Capitol, as President Donald Trump continues to sow doubts over U.S. elections.

A seven-member resident council of formerly homeless people living in Hawaii’s 26th kauhale, or tiny-­home community, will select the next 45 or so people to move into the newly completed second phase of the Hookahi Leo kauhale, which was blessed Thursday in the shadow of the H-1 viaduct, tucked away off Middle Street in Kalihi.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke’s recent indictment on conspiracy and bribery charges, coupled with nationwide frustration over President Donald Trump’s war with Iran and tariffs that have been blamed for rising consumer costs in the U.S., could influence Saturday’s party primary elections in Hawaii by discouraging — or energizing — people to actually vote.