GOP gubernatorial, Lt. Gov. candidates discuss effort to surpass dominant Democrats

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Republican candidates for Hawaii governor and lieutenant governor held their first joint campaign meeting Monday, discussing strategies for the upcoming general election as the underdogs of both races.

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Businessman Gary Cordery’s ticket as the GOP gubernatorial nominee is now combined with Republican lieutenant governor contender Daniel Anthony.

After meeting with Anthony, Cordery also held a virtual “talk story” session to accommodate voters from across Oahu and neighboring islands.

“A lot of our commitment is to allow the people to actually share, the ask questions, and we listen carefully,” Cordery said.

After receiving more than 36,000 votes in Saturday’s primary election, compared to incumbent Gov. Josh Green’s more than 183,000, Cordery promised to continue addressing voters virtually to build support.

Anthony trailed Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami by about 123,000 votes in the primary.

A farmer and activist, Anthony also admitted he was not originally a part of the GOP.

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“I’m conservative where it matters for Hawai’i,” Anthony said. “When I think of who I’ve worked with in the past in the republican party, I’ve planted a lot of trees with Brenton.”

Republican State Sen. Brenton Awa is also facing a Democratic frontrunner, incumbent U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, who got about 65,000 more votes than him in the primary.

“Voting isn’t the end all, it’s really the beginning for the political change that we need,” Anthony added.

After their first combined campaign meeting Monday, Cordery and Anthony said they will prioritize tax reform, including exemptions for Native Hawaiian homeowners, as well as improving government transparency.

“We hear lots of conversations, we hear lots of politicians articulating problems, but we rarely hear politicians bringing solutions. This campaign, our campaign is about solutions for the people,” Cordery said.

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The general election is set for Nov. 3.