Josh Green — Democratic Candidate for Governor in Hawaii, 2026

Governor Josh Green supports state legislation aimed at protecting immigrants and limiting federal immigration enforcement, advocating for accountability and due process for all individuals. He specifically opposes federal agents concealing their identities during enforcement, stating that such actions are counterintuitive and embolden misconduct. Green has also suggested alternate policies, such as a probationary period for undocumented immigrants who commit no violent crimes, emphasizing that peaceful non-citizens should not be targeted.

““The idea that anyone has to wear a mask to cover up their identity while they’re enforcing the rule of law, it’s counterintuitive. It just doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t pass the smell test,” Green said. “So that should not be allowed and frankly, I think hiding behind a mask emboldens people to do sometimes terrible things.” (Josh Green, Hawaii News Now, January 27, 2026)”

Governor Josh Green advocates for healthcare expansion, implementing programs like HELP for provider loan repayment and increasing Medicaid rates to serve vulnerable populations. He supports preserving enhanced ACA tax credits and has secured federal funding for rural health transformation initiatives. Green is critical of Medicaid cuts, stating they would negatively impact rural hospitals and reduce access to care for communities.

“The Medicaid cuts are horrible and will cost us dearly, and they will jeopardize rural hospitals. Critical access hospitals could close, which means not just the people that were on Medicaid will lose healthcare, but all the other people in that community. It’s really dangerous and really foolish. - Josh Green, The Phoenix, October 23, 2025”

Governor Josh Green supports robust climate action, emphasizing Hawaii's transition to a clean energy future and aiming for the state to lead globally in climate change response. He signed nation-leading legislation (H.B.1077 / S.B.1396) to increase the visitor lodging tax, creating a green fee to fund environmental protection and climate resilience projects. His administration proposed $126 million for such initiatives, including beach restoration and cesspool closure, highlighting the importance of protecting the environment for future generations.

“With the right leadership, Hawaii has an opportunity to lead the world with our response to climate change in the coming years. Our transition to a clean energy future is already well underway." (Josh Green, Ballotpedia.org, 2022 campaign message)”

If elected Hawaii governor, Josh Green has stated he will issue an executive order on "day one" to ensure access to abortions and propose legislation to protect reproductive care providers and patients from prosecution under other states' laws. His position is driven by the goal of ensuring patient and provider safety, as well as protecting women's rights from external state regulations. He has received an endorsement from Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates – Hawaii.

““My administration will take action on day one to ensure that the rights of women in Hawaii are protected,” Green said in a statement today. “We will not allow extreme laws from other states to threaten reproductive healthcare rights in our state.” (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Sept. 19, 2022)”

Research pending more substantial sources.

Josh Green supports developing and funding a universal public Pre-K program and offering free community college education to all Hawaii high school graduates. He also advocates for building public-private workforce pipelines in education and expanding career and technical education. Green's administration supported HB 2147, which aims to increase funding for public education via a residential investment property surcharge. He believes quality education is crucial for creating opportunities and intends to hire and retain teachers while expanding literacy programs.

“Every child in Hawaii deserves a quality education, because few things are more important to creating opportunity in a young person’s life. My wife Jaime and I care about all of Hawaii’s children, and we believe that in order to thrive and succeed, all of our keiki need consistent educational enrichment, healthcare, nutrition, and safety throughout childhood. I know firsthand the transformative effects a quality public education can have on a student’s life, opening doors for growth, development, and productive work." - Josh Green, Ballotpedia”

Josh Green supports gun control measures. In June 2023, he signed gun control legislation. He also supports a bill to ban assault weapons, which advanced to his desk for final consideration in 2025. This bill seeks to prohibit the import, sale, possession, and transfer of assault weapons like AR-15s, assault shotguns, and .50-caliber firearms in Hawaii, addressing a gap in existing law.