If all goes as planned in a heavily blue state that’s elected Democrats for most of the last six decades, the next governor of Hawaii could be a Pittsburgh native.
Dr. Josh Green, a Quaker Valley graduate who completed his medical training at the University of Pittsburgh in the 1990s before moving to Hawaii, won the state’s Democratic primary for governor Saturday, beating a former first lady and two-term U.S. House member.
Mr. Green will face former Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona, a Republican, in the November election that Democrats are very likely to win. The Cook Political Report, which forecasts state and federal races across the country, deems Hawaii’s governorship “solid Democrat.”
Mr. Green graduated from Quaker Valley in 1988, one of four valedictorians. A Hawaii Island community magazine said Mr. Green was also a tennis champion at the high school.
After his medical training at Pitt and Penn State, he joined the National Health Service Corps, stationed in Hawaii, in 2000 — starting as a family and emergency room physician in rural hospitals.
“My Quaker Valley education provided a perfect foundation to become both a physician and ultimately the lieutenant governor of Hawaii," Mr. Green told the high school’s communications department when he was elected lieutenant governor in 2018.
Mr. Green’s nomination comes at a time when Hawaii residents are particularly concerned about the cost of housing, as the median price of a single-family home exceeded $1 million in Honolulu, Maui and Kauai counties recently.
He has worked on the issue of homelessness during his time as lieutenant governor, his office says, and worked as the state’s COVID-19 liaison during the pandemic.
Gov. David Ige, a Democrat, has served two terms and isn’t eligible to run again.
“On to November, we will win the governorship and lead Hawaii forward,” Mr. Green said upon winning his party’s nomination.
The Associated Press contributed reporting. Julian Routh: jrouth@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1952, Twitter @julianrouth.
First Published: August 15, 2022, 5:20 p.m.
