Blue swept across the mainland Tuesday night as control of Capitol Hill in Washington shifted. Democrats flipped at least seven Republican seats in the U.S. Senate and were expected to secure at least 245 U.S. House seats to claim a majority.

Meanwhile, Hawai‘i was headed toward remaining nearly solid blue as preliminary election results from the state elections office showed Democratic incumbents likely retaining their seats and winning a few vacant seats in the Hawai‘i Legislature.

The Hawai‘i governor’s office also looks to continue under Democratic leadership and both Democratic U.S. House members from the state, including District II Rep. Jill Tokuda who represents all neighbor islands and rural O‘ahu, almost assuredly again securing their posts in Washington.

Federal race

Incumbent Tokuda had a significant lead against her Republican opponent Hawai‘i state Sen. Brenton Awa as of the state’s second printout of unofficial results from shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday night. She had 108,369 votes (65.2%) throughout the state while Brenton had 48,764 votes (29.3%).

Tokuda also was ahead on the Big Island with 36,777 votes (69.7%) compared with Awa’s 14,207 votes (26.9%) and 12,396 (64.2%) vs. 5,263 for Brenton (27.2%) in Kaua‘i County.

Awa told Hawai‘i News Now that he and his team “got crushed.”

“The struggle between Democrat and Republican was just too much to overcome,” he said in comments to the Honolulu media outlet.

Statewide races

That struggle was even more apparent in the race for Hawai‘i governor/lieutenant governor. While the results are unofficial and were not yet complete by late Tuesday, a great canyon divided Democratic and GOP hopefuls.

Incumbent Gov. Josh Green and term-limited Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami, running for lietunant governor on the same ticket, already racked up 227,046 votes (73.5%) statewide by the state’s second results printout.

Republican challengers Gary Cordery for governor and lieutenant governor hopeful Daniel Anthony had received 75,978 votes (24.6%), making the success of Green and Kawakami more than likely inevitable.

The Green/Kawakami combo had a total of 54,106 votes between the Big Island and Kaua‘i by the state’s second printout compared with Cordery and Anthony’s total 16,701 combined votes from both islands.

“It feels like I’m dreaming and waiting to wake up,” Kawakami told O‘ahu news outlet Island News as he stood next to Green, both with their necks clad with numerous lei. He wished his parents were here to see it. “This is probably the biggest thing that has ever happened to me.”

Green said it’s incredible that a mayor who is already an experienced executive and knows how to build housing, how to care for his people and how to deal with a crisis will right by his side. The governor said they are eager to serve Hawai‘i together and specifically mentioned some of the issues they will tackle.

Building more houses, getting the state to functional zero for homelessness, locking in tax breaks for the middle class forever so people can afford to live in the islands and energy challenges were among some of the biggest issues their new joint administration faces.

“People have given us this honor to serve. It never stopped,” the governor said. “With this partner and his perspective, I don’t see how we will let people down. We’ll be there and we’ll be listening every day to your needs.”

In the race for three at-large Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees, it looked at 9 p.m. as though Ikaika Anderson with 99,821 votes (10.8%) statewide followed by Brickwood Galuteria with 96,709 votes (10.4%) and John Waihee IV receiving 96,661 votes (10.4%) will win the posts.

Keoni Souza had 96,366 (10.4%), Adrian (Kealii) Akina had received 89,214 votes (9.6%) and Kanekoa (Koa) Crabbe had 75,254 votes (8.1%) from throughout the islands to round out the results.

Big Island and Kaua‘i voters agreed with the Anderson vote, providing him with a combined 20,699 votes, but he came in second in Hawai’i County and first for Kaua‘i voters. Souza was the Big Island’s top pick and the Garden Isle’s third, garnering a total of 20,523 votes.

Waihee was Kaua‘i County’s third selection with 5,021 votes and Akina was Hawai‘i County’s final choice with 15,159 votes. Galuteria and Crabbe were the bottom two choices of both islands.

State legislature elections

Big Island Democratic incumbents as of the 9 p.m. results printout were well on their way to be declared winners in all of the island’s seats up for grabs at the state legislature.

Sen. Joy San Buenaventura led with 9,196 votes (75.1%) against Libertarian challenger Frederick Fogel with 2,317 votes (18.9%) for her Hawai‘i Senate District 2 post.

Hawai‘i County Democratic legislators in the state House also look to easily retain their posts.

District 2 state Rep. Sue Keohokapu Lee Loy had 5,725 vote (74.1%) compared with her Republican foe Jonathan Kennealy with 1,431 votes (18.5%), while Rep. Chris Todd in District 3 had 4,457 votes (77.5%) against Libertarian Austin Martin’s 915 votes (15.9%).

In state House District 4, Rep. Greggor Ilagan had the lead with 4,737 votes (75.4%) compared with Republican challenger Zak Wittenhagen with 1,330 votes (21.2%), and Rep. Jeanné Kapela of District 5 was looking at victory with 4,875 votes (72.4%) against Republican Dalene McCormick who had garnered 1,608 votes (23.9%).

Then, House District 8 Rep. David Tarnas had a large lead of 4,595 votes (68.9%) against Republican Monique Perreira with 1,893 votes (28.4%).

The incumbent Democrat rule also held true for the two open state House seats representing Kaua‘i County.

Rep. Luke Evslin of District 16 was in control of the race with 4,704 votes (69.5%) compared with Republican David Hazlebeck’s 1,685 votes (24.9%), and District 17 Rep. Dee Morikawa had 4,584 votes (69.2%) vs. GOP challenger Misty Cluett with 1,513 votes (22.8%).

Be sure to check Big Island Now and Kaua‘i Now for more election coverage from Hawai‘i and Kaua‘i counties, respectively, plus the most up-to-date results.

NOTE: Blank and over votes were not yet factored into the unofficial state results as reported in the state elections office second printout and included in this story.