Republican Named To Represent East Oʻahu After Rep. Gene Ward’s Death
Ward’s seat has been vacant since the longtime East Honolulu lawmaker retired on March 31 due to illness.
Gov. Josh Green on Wednesday appointed marketing and advertising executive Joe Gedeon to succeed longtime Republican Rep. Gene Ward to represent House District 18, which includes Portlock, Hawai‘i Kai and Kalama Valley.
That House seat has been vacant since Ward retired on March 31. He died on April 4 at age 82.
“Gene was a family friend, a mentor and a lifelong example of integrity and public service,” Gedeon said in a written statement. “His legacy in Hawaiʻi Kai is profound and I hope to carry forward the values he championed: community, accountability and unwavering commitment to the people he served.”
Gedeon was one of three Republicans nominated for the seat by the Hawaiʻi Republican Party. He is the co-founder of marketing and advertising companies JPG Hawaii and JPG Media, and was raised in Hawaiʻi Kai.
He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in his youth, and graduated from Kaiser High School, Kapiʻolani Community College and ITT Technical Institute in San Diego.
He was president of the Waikiki Rotary Club from 2016 to 2017, and is on the board of directors of the American Advertising Federation of Hawaiʻi and the Central YMCA. He has also been involved in the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and the Hawaii Food Industry Association.
He is a former communications officer for Saint Louis School and produced and contributed to a weekly conservative talk radio show called 808 State Update focused on current events.
“The Hawaiʻi House of Representatives appreciates Joe Gedeon’s readiness to step up and serve
the District 18 community,” state House Speaker Nadine Nakamura said in a statement.
Gedeon will serve out Ward’s term, which expires on general election day on Nov. 3, 2026. He said in a statement he has taken the initial step of filing with the Hawaiʻi Campaign Spending Commission to prepare to run for the House seat next year.
“We are confident Joe will bring energy, integrity, and innovative thinking to the state Legislature,” said newly elected Hawaii Republican Party State Chair Art Hannemann. “He represents a new generation of Republican leadership — grounded in local values, equipped with real-world experience, and ready to fight for Hawaii’s future.”
Ward served in the state House from 1990 to 1998, when he made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Congress. He then served as a presidential appointee under the second Bush administration. Ward was reelected to the state House in 2006. He was a former House minority leader.
