State Rep. Della Au Belatti announced her candidacy for Hawaii’s Congressional District 1 seat on Thursday, vowing to stand with the rest of the state’s Congressional delegation and stand in support of Democratic values in ways she said incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Case has not. 

What You Need To Know

• Belatti is the second Democratic legislator to challenge Case, joining state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who announced his candidacy in July.

• While it is relatively rare for an incumbent of Case’s standing to face significant opposition in the primary, Case has drawn fire from within his own party for voting in support of Republican initiatives

• During her speech, Belatti faulted Case for not supporting child-care tax credits in then-President Joe Biden’s Built Back Better plan and for voting in favor of the SAVE act, which she said disenfranchises voters who may lack certain documentation

• Belatti’s campaign for Congress precludes her from seeking re-election to the Legislature next year, meaning her time in the state House will end in November 2026 regardless of the outcome

“One of the things I hope for is greater communication with the community, greater integration into the delegation,” Belatti said. “I’m a former House majority leader. My opponent (Case) was also former House majority leader. So, we understand that you need to be able to make compromises, see compromises, but you also have to stand your ground.”

Belatti, who has served in the state House since 2012, made her announcement outside the Hawaii State Library amid a gathering of family, close friends and supporters. She is the second Democratic legislator to challenge Case, joining state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who announced his candidacy in July.

“My agenda is simple: lower cost for Hawaii’s families, stop Donald Trump’s dangerous policies and protect what makes Hawaii special,” Belatti said.

Belatti said she is also committed to reducing the influence of money in politics and supporting investments in public education, mental health and Social Security.

While it is relatively rare for an incumbent of Case’s standing to face significant opposition in the primary, Case has drawn fire from within his own party for voting in support of Republican initiatives, including the censure of Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, for disrupting President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on March 4 and the passage of the so-called SAVE Act, which requires documented proof of citizenship to register to vote. Some Democrats have also criticized Case for not presenting a unified front with the other three members of the Hawaii delegation.

In his combined 12 years in the House, Case has distinguished himself as more fiscally conservative than the other Congress members from Hawaii and has consistently emphasized the importance of bipartisanship and compromise. He has also asserted significant influence as a senior member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

In announcing his bid for reelection in July, Case emphasized his experience and understanding of how to work effectively in Congress.

 “Our Hawaii especially needs experienced representation on Capitol Hill that knows how to get things done for us in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “Over my decade now of serving Hawaii in Congress, I’ve worked hard to deliver that leadership. If re-elected, I will move to around the top 25 percent of House seniority, continue into my ninth and tenth years on the powerful Appropriations Committee, and further expand my relationships and influence for our country and Hawaii. And I’ll keep doing what I’ve always done: speak honestly, listen carefully, represent all of Hawaii, and fight for real solutions, just as I did through COVID-19, Red Hill and the Maui wildfires.”

At Thursday’s news conference, Belatti acknowledged the political risk of challenging Case.

“One of the things that has always driven me and will continue to drive me is that saying, ‘Do the right thing’ and sometimes doing the right thing is not always the easy thing; sometimes it’s the hard thing,” she said. “Leading up to this day, folks are saying, ‘Why are you doing it? Just keep your head down. You’re going to get a salary. Keep your head down. Your seat is safe.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s the easy thing. The harder thing is to look out there and to see the people who are hurting.’ And let me tell you, people are hurting.”

Unlike Keohokalole, who has generally avoided directly criticizing Case other than to say more urgency is needed to respond to the Trump administration’s boundary-pushing edicts and initiatives, Belatti did not hold back in targeting the incumbent and his decisions.

During her speech, Belatti faulted Case for not supporting child-care tax credits in then-President Joe Biden’s Built Back Better plan and for voting in favor of the SAVE Act, which she said disenfranchises voters who may lack certain documentation. Of the latter, she noted that shortly after the legislation passed, she got a new passport to reflect her change in name from Della Au to Della Au Belatti, a process that cost $185.

“Who’s going to pay that just so they can update a document so that they can go in and swear to someone, ‘I am who I am; I am allowed to vote?’ I call BS on that. That was a bill that was passed by my opponent.”

Belatti also criticized Case for not joining the rest of the Hawaii Congressional delegation in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemning her department’s aggressive immigration enforcement actions in Hawaii. At the time, Case noted that while he agreed with parts of the letter, he still felt the government has an obligation to uphold its immigration laws.

Belatti’s campaign for Congress precludes her from seeking re-election to the Legislature next year, meaning her time in the state House will end in November 2026 regardless of the outcome. Keohokalole is not up for re-election next year, so he will retain his spot in the state Senate should he not prevail in the primary.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.