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Endorses Souza
The race
One House seat is at stake in Hawaii's House District 43, for a two-year term. The incumbent, Kanani Souza (R), is on the general-election ballot. The confirmed general-election roster, from Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2026 (Ballotpedia) (roster strength: compilation (Ballotpedia)), is: Kanani Souza (R); Sheila Medeiros (R).
Sabato's Crystal Ball rates both Hawaiʻi chambers Safe Democratic, and no district-level rating for this district was published in the sources consulted (Sabato's Crystal Ball, October 2026).
This district has no ordinary general election. No candidate of any other party filed, so the August 8 Republican primary between Souza and Medeiros was, in effect, the election — and it tied, 842–842, after a recount and ballot curing. A drawing by lot on August 15 named Medeiros the winner; Souza contested it, and the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court held the drawing unauthorized and ordered both candidates placed on the November 3 ballot, under a ballot heading reading "Republican Party Voters Only" that every voter in the district receives. The November vote therefore decides the seat (State Navigate; Ballot Access News, September 30, 2026; Hawaiʻi Supreme Court in Souza v. Nago).
Roster note: No general election: the August 8 Republican primary tied 842-842 and a tie-break drawing was invalidated by the Hawaii Supreme Court; a court-ordered redo Republican primary between incumbent Kanani Souza and Sheila Medeiros is held November 3, 2026 and decides the seat (no other party filed). Per Ballotpedia and the court opinion.
The candidates, claim by claim
Kanani Souza (R), incumbent. Kanani Souza is the Republican incumbent on the confirmed general-election roster for this district, seeking re-election.
Souza, an attorney and former Honolulu deputy prosecutor, flipped this seat in 2022, defeating Democratic incumbent Stacelynn Eli 55.5% to 44.5%, and turned back Medeiros in the 2024 primary 58% to 42% before facing no Democrat in that general election (State Navigate, "The 20 strangest state legislative races of 2026").
Pros: A Republican with a real record of service behind the candidacy — the in-tent choice under this publication's values (Constitution, capitalism and the free market, Christianity, freedom).
Cons: No proven flaw meeting this publication's standard was located in the compiled record at this sourcing depth.
The flaw, plainly: None proven was located in the compiled record.
Sheila Medeiros (R), nominee. Sheila Medeiros is the Republican nominee on the confirmed general-election roster for this district.
Medeiros is a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former legislative staffer who also challenged Souza in the 2024 primary (State Navigate, "The 20 strangest state legislative races of 2026").
Pros: In-tent under this publication's criteria as a Republican candidacy.
Cons: Not the endorsed candidacy in this race — the reason is stated in OUR CALL below, from the record.
The flaw, plainly: None proven was located in the compiled record for this candidacy; the call below turns on the endorsement standard, not on a flaw here.
OUR CALL
We endorse Kanani Souza (R). Both names on this November ballot are Republicans — the court-ordered redo described above — so the same-party rule governs: an endorsement must rest on a distinguishing record. Souza has one: she is the incumbent, she flipped this seat in 2022 and held it in 2024, and no proven flaw was located in her compiled record. Medeiros is a credible challenger with military and legislative-staff service, but she has not held this office. The seat is decided November 3; on the records in the file, Souza earns the endorsement.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Sources
- Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2026 (Ballotpedia) — confirmed general-election roster, parties, and ballot status (accessed October 25, 2026) — https://ballotpedia.org/Hawaii_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2026
- Wikipedia, "2026 Hawaii House of Representatives election" / "2026 Hawaii Senate election" — incumbency, retirements, primaries, and facts as cited — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Hawaii_House_of_Representatives_election
- Hawaiʻi Office of Elections, elected-officials list — incumbent name forms, including Michael "Cov" Ratcliffe (District 28) — https://elections.hawaii.gov/resources/elected-officials/
- Sabato's Crystal Ball (Louis Jacobson), final 2026 state legislative analysis — Hawaiʻi Senate and House Safe Democratic — https://sabatoscrystalball.substack.com/p/the-key-state-legislative-races-gop
- State Navigate, "The 20 strangest state legislative races of 2026"; Ballot Access News (September 30, 2026); Hawaiʻi Supreme Court opinions in Souza v. Nago and Fevella v. Nago (SCPW-26-0000628); PBS Hawaiʻi (October 8, 2026); USA TODAY (October 24, 2026) — District 43, District 20, and District 32 facts as cited in the text
- Record gaps: no district-level legislative voting records, campaign-finance figures, or biographies beyond the offices and facts printed above were verified for the candidates in this district at this sourcing depth; no district-level competitiveness rating was published in the sources consulted (chamber-level ratings only)
- Standing check: no pedophile-association material meeting the proven standard (knowing association with or defense of a convicted pedophile) was located for any candidate on this ballot
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.
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