Overview
- The Democratic primary in Hawaii’s 1st District, which was held Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, pitted 73-year-old Rep. Ed Case against 43-year-old state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole.
- Case has defended his bid by citing seniority and his seat on the House Appropriations Committee as a means to deliver federal dollars for the district.
- Keohokalole is running as a progressive alternative who calls for expanded government health care, limits on aid to Israel, and curbs on corporate influence in politics.
- Keohokalole has outside backing from Our Revolution, but three other Democrats on the ballot could split the anti-incumbent vote and complicate his path to victory.
- Because the 1st District is safely Democratic and Hawaii allows crossover voting, the primary is treated as decisive for November and could reflect a broader 2026 trend of progressive challenges to incumbents.