Three incumbent representatives kept their seats while a fourth was ousted in the primary elections in House Districts 4, 5, 6 and 7.
District 4, which includes lower Puna from Hawaiian Paradise Park and Orchidland Estates, down to the southern edge of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, saw incumbent Joy San Buenaventura run unopposed by any Democratic challenger. Without any Republican opponent in the general election, San Buenaventura will serve a third term in the district.
In District 5, which encompasses the southwestern edge of the island from Naalehu up to Holualoa, Democrat Richard Creagan defeated challengers Jeanne Kapela and Gene Leslie, receiving 51 percent of the vote as of late Saturday evening, with seven of eight precincts reporting.
Kapela, a former Miss Hawaii winner, received 39 percent of the vote, and conceded the race late Saturday, while Kona business owner Leslie received 9 percent.
With no Republican candidate on the ballot, Creagan is unopposed in the general election and will retain his seat for a third term.
Similarly to San Buenaventura, District 6 representative Nicole Lowen ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, and with no Republican opponent in the general election, will serve a fourth term in the state House.
Democrat Cindy Evans, representing District 7, was defeated by challenger David Tarnas, who had won 53 percent of the vote by late Saturday evening, with four of five precincts reporting.
Evans served as representative of District 7, which includes Waimea, all of North Kohala and much of South Kohala, for eight terms after her election in 2002.
A Republican candidate, Tom Belekanich, was unopposed on the primary ballot for District 7, and will challenge Tarnas in the general election.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com
