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 Brenton Awa, Republican candidate for U.S. House 2nd District, which covers part of Oahu and all the neighbor islands.

His opponent is incumbent Democrat Jill Tokuda.

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

At this specific moment in American history — marked by intense divisions and the politics of grievance — why are you the right person to represent the specific needs of Hawaiʻi’s 2nd Congressional District?

Where I come from, people are raised to get things done against all odds. Doing more with less is life. We’re challenging for this seat because families are being priced out of their birthright and our leaders in Washington have lost their influence; I’ve been blessed with it. Civil Beat’s analysts describe me as the one everyone talks about, a maverick, unorthodox, strongly principled, and having a rare populist energy. My gifts only matter if people benefit. Our community has. Hawai’i can too.

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

Life costs too much. My first months in Congress will mirror my first months as state senator. We’ll use the power of the seat to keep Hawaiʻi residents from having to leave, and make our islands more sustainable. In 2023, we stopped the state from pushing Waiāhole farmers out. Later that year, we planted “The Giving Trees” to feed our people. By six months, Hawaiʻi can expect a long list of our most urgent needs to finally get in front of the president. And our influence, while brief, will have returned.

Here’s one question from your constituents: Will you stand up against the bullying corruption of the Trump admin?

The president gets the same treatment as everyone else. Right is right, wrong is wrong. I’ve stood alone against the system more than anyone elected. Look at the 22–1 confirmation vote on now indicted Ryan Yamane. I’m the one. Civil Beat reported I’m “unafraid to challenge the powers that be.” What’s unreported is how far we’ll take a fight. I took on a news station and gave up my career as anchor for truth. Three settlement checks hang on our wall. The president gets no exception, respectfully.

For those who have held public office: What is one piece of legislation or policy initiative you spearheaded in the last four years that had a measurable, positive impact on Hawaiʻi? For challengers who have not held public office: What professional or community achievement best demonstrates your ability to navigate complex bureaucracies and deliver results?

Our bills provide lessons overlooked in civics class. Legislation moves on deals, not debate over merit. Our “About Time” bill to stop non-citizens from buying land here was called unconstitutional in year one. By year three, we negotiated with one of the Senate’s most progressive members and passed it through our chamber. Same lesson over in Mokulēʻia. A video and phone call stopped a million-gallon-a-month water leak that went unresolved for more than a decade. One relationship was all it took.

With the Trump administration in its final two years, how specifically do you plan to ensure Hawaiʻi’s interests aren’t sidelined? Name one specific policy area where you believe you can find common ground with the administration or across the aisle to benefit Hawaiʻi residents.

Hawai’i’s keys to unlocking Washington no longer work because our four leaders are cut from the same mold and the president switched out the locks. Trying a new key can give us access we don’t have. That doesn’t mean agreement. It means getting in the room. Food security, healthcare, Native Hawaiian blood quantum. The kicker … this key can’t be bought. I take no gifts, no AIPAC or any PAC money, and I’m the only lawmaker out of 76 elected in 2024 on $0. We hold a key that belongs to the people.

Hawaiʻi consistently ranks as one of the most expensive housing markets in the U.S. Beyond general support for HUD, what federal program or legislative mechanism would you propose to specifically address affordability and increase housing inventory on the islands?

For many, moving out of a parents house is a struggle. Competing against federally backed military housing allowances makes it harder. Last July, we met with Assistant. Secretary of War Dale Marks to detail Hawaiʻi’s housing burden. Our state immediately jumped to No. 3 on his list for new homes. Three months later, Marks announced a Honolulu pilot project. In Congress, we’ll push policy that puts Hawai’i residents first. We’ve opened that door before. For our full housing plan, visit VoteBrentonAwa.com.

The Jones Act is a century-old cargo shipping law that some argue has a significant impact on Hawaiʻi’s cost of living. Do you support a full repeal, a specific exemption for Hawaiʻi or maintaining the status quo? How will you build a national coalition to change it? If you support maintaining the status quo, please explain why that’s necessary.

My election would mark the first time since 1967 that two of Hawai’i’s four members in Congress oppose the Jones Act. We’d finally confront what this law costs our state. I have family and closest friends working our docks as stevedores, including in ILWU leadership. Their jobs matter. So does national security, but anyone campaigning on affordability while refusing to challenge a law restricting shipping competition to an island state should raise red flags. I’ll join Rep. Case and build from there.

National conservative groups have launched legal challenges against Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy and a federal program that provides Native Hawaiian health scholarships. Are you concerned about protecting those institutions and programs and, if so, what federal legislative action will you take?

My name is already in their lawsuit, standing in the way. Before SFFA sued Kamehameha Schools, we flew to Virginia trying to stop it. They put our effort in the federal complaint. This fight is bigger than one school. If elected, I’d be the third Native Hawaiian to serve in Congress since statehood. That’s a problem in itself. Education, healthcare, homelands, blood quantum, these fights share a root. Let’s not defend our existence one program at a time. It’s time Washington sees the whole tree.

Climate change and ever more powerful disasters are facts of life in Hawaiʻi. How would you plan to address that issue in Washington on behalf of the state?

I’ve covered disasters as a reporter and responded as a senator. Our communities always show up first. When the Kona lows flooded Oahu’s North Shore, power was out while the government assessed. We brought a fuel truck and pumped 3,000 gallons free to 300 plus residents. Others did more. I saw the same from residents when lava hit Leilani Estates and landslides cut off Hāʻena. We must back our community responders with fuel reserves, local resiliency hubs, and backup escape routes ready if roads fail.

Hawaiʻi aims for 100% renewable energy by 2045. Do you support Gov. Josh Green’s initiative to use liquefied natural gas as a bridge fuel until that goal is met?

In principle, we’re solving dependency with dependency. Hawai’i families are promised cheap energy, yet bills keep climbing. Investing billions to rely on foreign corporations importing another fuel is what I think the youth would call “sus.” I’m less interested in meeting a renewable energy deadline than building real energy independence.

As the headquarters of INDOPACOM, Hawaiʻi is central to U.S. strategy in the Pacific. How do you balance the need for a strong military presence with the environmental and social concerns of the local community?

Red Hill poisoned our water. Kaho’olawe still needs restoration. Mākua has unexploded ordnance. Pōhakuloa and Kahuku want new leases after 65 years of $1 deals. Space Force wants telescopes on Haleakala. Enough already. My family served and friends still serve, but supporting our military doesn’t mean Hawaiʻi gets punked in our own house. National security matters. So does the home we’re defending. The military will train here, but clean up the mess, pay your share, and respect Hawai’i.

How will your office be present for people who feel ignored/neglected by Honolulu-centric or D.C.-centric politics?

It helps to have been born into an ʻohana rooted across the state. There’s always a reason to get on a flight, and always a place to stay and work. If anyone wants time to talk, Ko’olauloa and North Shore residents know I’ve spent thousands of hours tending our food tree sites in Kahaluʻu and Haleʻiwa. Open invitation for anyone who wants to join.