Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi General Election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from David Croswell, Republican candidate for State Senate District 9, which includes Hawaiʻi Kai, Kuliʻouʻou, Niu, ʻĀina Haina, Waiʻalae-Kahala, Diamond Head, Kaimukī and Kapahulu.

His opponent in the November election will be Democratic incumbent Stanley Chang.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job? And why do you want the job?

I’m not a career politician. I’m running because I care about the people in my district and in Hawai’i and about the future we will be leaving for our children and grandchildren. Voters deserve a real choice in representation. I bring principled conservative leadership, practical accountability and a commitment to encourage more citizens to step up, get involved, and help shape the future of our city, state and nation.

What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

The cost of living is crushing families and kūpuna in my district. In my first six months, I will push for a serious review of government spending and work to reduce the tax burden on basic necessities. This includes pursuing GET exemptions for food, baby supplies, medical supplies and gas. Families and kūpuna should not be taxed while buying what they need to live, work, raise children and care for loved ones.


Here’s one question from your constituents: Do you support maintaining a monopoly for interisland shipping?

No. A monopoly over something as essential as interisland shipping gives too much control to too few. Government has a role in oversight, but regulation should protect the public through transparency, accountability and fair pricing while also removing barriers that prevent responsible competition from entering the market.

What do you think were the most important bills to come out of the 2026 Legislature? What failed that should have passed? What passed that you wish had failed?

SB 2822 or a variation of it should have passed. Hawaiʻi created the Office of the Legislative Analyst in 1990, but never formed or staffed it. Funding a lean, nonpartisan office would cost money, but also would greatly reduce unnecessary spending when bills pass without a clear price tag. Combined with fewer bills being introduced, fiscal notes would provide transparency and real accountability before taxpayer money is committed.

The 2026 session was also overshadowed by an issue of public trust: $35,000 in the brown paper bag given to an “influential” state lawmaker. What do you think the Legislature needs to do going forward to rebuild public confidence in state government?

Restoring public trust starts with real accountability. The Ethics Commission must remain independent, be adequately funded, and have authority to investigate serious concerns proactively. Major or repeat violations need meaningful consequences. We should also clarify jurisdiction when cases overlap and review statutes of limitations so investigations are not cut short before the facts come out.

In recent years, Hawai’i has experienced a series of damaging and dangerous weather events that have exposed weaknesses in our planning, preparation and response. What could you as a lawmaker do to help your district be better prepared?

To better protect my district from damaging and dangerous weather events, we need to move from planning to action. That means identifying flood, drainage, road, utility and emergency-response vulnerabilities before disaster strikes, then investing in preventative maintenance and practical upgrades. We cannot keep deferring repairs to aging infrastructure and then expect families, businesses and first responders to absorb the cost when systems fail.


What would you do in office to address the here and now of climate change? And how would you address the costs to taxpayers, property owners and businesses to adapt?

We should address environmental risks in a practical, cost-conscious way. Infrastructure decisions must be based on strong evidence and known threats, such as avoiding public investment in areas already shown to flood. We should focus on actions with clear local impact that reflect our stewardship of and deep connection to the land: reducing runoff, keeping pollutants out of the ocean, and protecting reefs and coastlines.

Over 3,000 bills are introduced every session and there is always frantic horsetrading in the final days of session. Do you think there should be a limit on the number of bills introduced to enable more meaningful debate?

Yes, but the responsibility starts with legislators. Too many bills are introduced, and it is fair to ask how many are actually read, studied and understood before votes are cast. Reasonable limits could allow more meaningful debate and public review. But limits must be paired with rules that prevent bills from becoming larger, broader and more complicated just to squeeze more issues into fewer bills. That would make the problem worse, not better.

Hawaiʻi lawmakers are often in the dark about how much a piece of legislation will cost because the Aloha State is the only one in the nation that doesn’t require a fiscal analysis for bills. Should lawmakers be forced to put a realistic price tag on the legislation they introduce?

Yes. Lawmakers should be accountable for the true cost of the bills they introduce. It is more fiscally responsible to pass legislation with a clear estimate of what it will cost and who will pay for it. I support requiring a public, good-faith fiscal note for any bill affecting spending, taxes, fees, staffing, state revenues, county costs, or long-term liabilities. It should disclose assumptions, multi-year costs, unfunded mandates and who bears the burden.

There are no term limits for state legislators in Hawaiʻi, so incumbents tend to win. Would you seek to change that? Why or why not?

I strongly support reasonable term limits. Public office should be service, not a permanent career. With 17 House and Senate seats unopposed this election, too many incumbents can remain in power without meaningful accountability. Term limits would help reduce voter apathy, make room for new leaders, and encourage more citizens to step forward and serve.


What would you do to help improve the state’s public school system?

Schools need to focus on the fundamentals: reading, writing, math, science, history, civics and the skills students need to become responsible, productive adults. Programs that drift beyond that mission should be scaled back. Parents should have a stronger voice in their children’s education and take primary responsibility for their children’s moral formation. School spending should go to real needs: staffing, safe campuses, deferred maintenance, comfortable classrooms and teacher supplies.

Hawaiʻi is heavily reliant on tourism. What would you propose to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy?

Hawaiʻi needs an economy that is less dependent on tourism. I would focus on making our state more friendly to remote workers, headquarters, and small businesses by reducing unnecessary compliance burdens, simplifying business tax and reporting requirements, cutting red tape that falls hardest on small businesses and addressing cost-of living challenges. We should also ease restrictions on home-based businesses and remove barriers that discourage entrepreneurship.

An estimated 60% of Hawaii residents are struggling to get by. It’s a problem that reaches far beyond low-income folks and into the middle class, which is disappearing. What would you do to help?

In my district, many young families and kūpuna are feeling this pressure every day as they face rising costs for housing, food, healthcare and other basic necessities. We need to identify and eliminate wasteful spending and fraud, reduce or remove the GET on essential goods, and make it easier to start and grow businesses here. Lowering the cost of living requires both tax relief and a government that stops making life more expensive for its residents.