In a race that was theirs to lose, gubernatorial candidate Josh Green and running mate Sylvia Luke defeated Republican rivals James “Duke” Aiona and Seaula Tupai so convincingly Tuesday even the governor-elect was surprised.

“We had no idea that this many people would trust and believe that we had the right agenda for Hawaii,” Green said shortly after the second set of results found him and Luke ahead on 63.9% of ballots tallied.

“It is a mandate but even if I had won by even one vote, I would still charge hard at our housing crisis, the homeless crisis, making sure people can afford to live here and making sure that we have action on climate change,” he said. “We’d do that whether it was one vote or a large margin but, yes, it does make it easier because we have demonstrated to the legislature and to the people of Hawaii that this is what they want. I definitely view this as a mandate but it’s a mandate for the people.”

Luke echoed her running mate’s sentiments.

“We were very surprised with the margin after the first printout,” she said. “I think it speaks to the fact that we spoke to the people and were able to articulate priorities that are important to them. It’s a huge responsibility that is invested in us and so we expect to work really hard to fulfill those essential goals.

Luke said she and Green have already discussed ways in which their strengths can complement each other.

“As chair of the (House) Finance Committee, I have a vast knowledge of how state government works and I can be a real asset when it comes to that,” she said. “The other thing I have is good relationships with House and Senate members and I think we will use some of those strengths to push many of the agendas we currently have.”

Aiona, who filed papers for the race just before the deadline, said his third run at the governor’s office after two terms as lieutenant governor under Linda Lingle, was “the best campaign I’ve been in” because of the relationships he forged.

“It was an expedited campaign,” he said. “We did the best we could, used every ounce of energy and experience we had. We can do the analysis later.”

Aiona conceded the race after the second printout. He said he hopes Green will consider some of his plan for addressing the housing crisis, a key focus of his and Tupai’s campaign.

Overall, Tuesday’s general election was, in the parlance of sports betting, largely chalk. The odds held, the punditry was correct and just about every candidate that was supposed to win, won and won early.

At the Hawaii Convention Center, Democratic candidates and their supporters converged for what was ultimately a one-printout party. The food was gone before a voter in Wailuku cast the state’s final ballot. Whatever uncertainty there may have been about the major races vanished soon after.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, U.S. Rep. Ed Case and former state senator Jill Tokuda each won their congressional races by resounding margins.

Schatz led Republican challenger Bob McDermott 250,183 votes to 86,211 after the second printout, while Case held a decisive 129,069 to 43,219 lead over Republican Conrad Kress. Tokuda clinched her run for the House District 2 seat with a 106,774 to 55,932 advantage over Joe Akana in the second readout.

Schatz, 50, said the night was significant for the local Democratic Party because it marked a “generational shift.”

“Josh Green, Sylvia Luke, Jill and myself—we’re ready to take the reins,” he said.

That led to a good-natured rebuke from Schatz’s fellow senator, 75-year-old Mazie Hirono.

“Some of us have been fighting the battles for decades, like me, and we’re going to keep doing it,” she said.

In the same speech, however, Hirono also admitted getting emotional seeing Tokuda’s first printout results and harkening back to her own election to the House 16 years ago.

Tokuda will be counted on to bring stability to a seat that has appeared wobbly in recent years. Tulsi Gabbard, who recently announced she was leaving the Democratic Party, gave up the position for an ill-fated run at the presidency. Her successor, Rep. Kai Kahele was criticized for a months-long absence from Washington, D.C., before he himself announced he would not seek re-election so he could run for governor. He finished a distant third behind Green and Vicky Cayetano in the primary election and went conspicuously unseen and unmentioned at Tuesday’s gathering at the Convention Center.

On a night painted in shades of blue, Republicans did manage to build on the five seats they held in the last legislative session.

As of the second reading, Republicans were on the verge of flipping two of legislative seats held by Democrats tainted by separate drunk-driving incidents over the last two years.

In District 41, David Alcos defeated Matt LoPresti, who was arrested in June for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. A judge dismissed the case for lack of probable cause in September.

In District 42, Diamond Garcia narrowly defeated Sharon Har, who was arrested for the same offense in 2021 after being caught driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Her case was dismissed on a charging technicality, and a judge granted Har’s request for a judgment of acquittal.

Republicans also picked up seats in Districts 39 and 43.

Elijah Pierick beat Corey Rosenlee for the open District 39 seat formerly held by Ty Cullen, who resigned last session after he was charged and convicted in a bribery scandal. Cullen’s appointed replacement Luella Costales opted not to run.

In District 43, Democrat Stacelynn Eli, an incumbent mostly in name only thanks to redistricting, fell to Kanani Souza.

The only incumbent Republican in a contested race this election was Lauren Cheape Matsumoto, who easily defended her District 38 seat against Democratic challenger Marilyn Lee. Both Sen. Kurt Fevella and Rep. Gene Ward were unopposed.

The victories helped the sorely outnumbered Republicans survive the departures of two representatives, Val Okimoto, who succeeded in her bid for a Honolulu City Council on Tuesday, and McDermott.

Despite the modest gains, Republicans still struggled on Tuesday.

While reapportionment put all 76 legislative seats in play this year, incumbency and the state’s heavily Democratic leanings  resulted in 39 Republican House and Senate candidates failing to amass at least 30% of votes in their races.

In other races, Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami garnered nearly 75% of the vote to notch an easy win over challenger Michael Poai and former judge Rick Bissen unseated incumbent Maui Mayor Mike Victorino.

In Office of Hawaiian Affairs elections, Millani Trask defeated Hope Cermelj for the Hawaii Island trustee seat and Brickwood Galuteria, John Waihee IV and Keoni Souza were in position to win at-large trustee seats after the second set of results.

Michael Tsai  covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii.