The Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi’s 2026 Unity Breakfast Sunday morning at the Hibiscus Room at the Ala Moana Hotel was like most Unity Breakfasts.

Some leaders made good jokes, others did not.

Some showed magnanimity, hugging the very opponent that they lost to or defeated just the night before.

And some, like Makai Freitas, the new party chair, said this election year is the most consequential in memory.

But what was and is mostly demonstrated at the Unity Breakfast is the near total dominance of one party in Hawaiʻi.

While the Hawaiʻi Republican Party of Hawaiʻi does not hold a comparable event the day after the primary every two years, Democrats usually manage to bring out the stars of their very deep benches. This year that included not only the current governor but four former ones and a whole lot of new faces in the crowd.

There were also a lot of candidates for — and elected officials from — county offices as well as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, even though those races are ostensibly nonpartisan.

Rebecca Soon, an executive with consulting firm Solutions Pacific, told attendees Sunday that OHA is “deeply connected to the values of our party.” They include creating housing opportunities, protecting natural resources and fighting for rural community-based healthcare.

But all that is threatened as never before, said Soon, who warned of the Trump administration’s “real significant and meaningful threats to Hawaiian institutions and to Hawaiian programs. I know that many of you in this room are at the forefront of fighting to protect those communities.”

The great elephant in the room was President Donald Trump, of course, and the passion to not only keep a local majority but also take back the U.S. House and Senate was top of mind for every Democrat there.

Seed Money And Bad Jokes

I have rarely seen so many party members at a Unity Breakfast. While U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and U.S. Rep Jill Tokuda were no-shows, the other two delegates were there.

U.S. Sen Brian Schatz said he wasn’t sure if he’d make it in time, as the Senate was still doing business until late in the week.

“But this one, I felt a real sense of urgency to land yesterday so I can be here today,” he said. “I think this is the most important tradition that Hawaiʻi Democrats have.”

Contested primaries, he remarked, are like divorces: “They get very personal, very quick, and it’s a little hard to heal.”

That’s why the day-after gatherings, said Schatz, are about showing humility, dusting one’s self off and then getting back in the fight.

Case, in his remarks, recognized state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, the challenger he bested Saturday night.

“Thank you so much for a very, very strong race, and to our Democratic colleagues who also ran in the race,” said Case.

“You presented a very clear choice to the voters. Your message was clear. The alternative was given to the voters. The voters made their choice, but it doesn’t mean that that voice wasn’t heard. And I heard it loud and clear. And it is my job to go forward in Congress and to incorporate the concerns that you voiced and that I heard as your representative in Congress. So thank you very much for that.”

Case went on to recall his first Unity Breakfast 40 years ago when he lost a legislative race to Brian Taniguchi. He had told the story before, but then, there were a lot of new candidates in the room Sunday.

They included Christy MacPherson, who lost to Sen. Donna Kim (she was there, too), Nani Brown, who lost to Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz (he was there, too), and Kahi Pacarro, who lost to Rep. Mark Hashem.

The Unity Breakfast is also about asking for money, and not just to pay for the eggs, bacon and room rental. Several party leaders made pitches for more funds, including Senate President Ron Kouchi, who announced a coordinated campaign to get party members elected in November.

“I’m here to tell you that we are going to move forward with the coordinated campaign, and before I leave, I have a $10,000 check to move with the coordinated campaign because I’m committed to see them elected,” he said.

Kouchi also introduced Danielle Bass, who was named to succeed retiring state Sen. Michelle Kidani by Gov. Josh Green that very morning.

And there were some funny lines. Tommy Waters, the Honolulu City Council chair, recognized fellow council members in the audience and closed by saying, “I didn’t do too bad for being disqualified.”

Waters actually finished second behind Trevor Ozawa who was there, too, and is heading to a likely runoff in November.

The party ended its breakfast as it usually does, holding hands in a circle and singing “Hawaiʻi Aloha.” OHA Trustee Brickwood Galuteria led the a cappella rendition.