Governor of Hawaii
Gary Cordery
CandidateR
- Race
- Governor of Hawaii
- Election
- 2026-11-03
- Opponent
- Josh Green (D)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did2 statements · 0 votes
launch an independent permit department
Loosen zoning rules to build more housing
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotGovernor
2026-11-03
| Josh Green D | incumbent |
| Gary Cordery R | challenger |
Running with Daniel Anthony for lieutenant governor.
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
launch an independent permit department
Proposes an independent state permit department, building about 15,000 fee-simple homes on state lands, and raising the share of zoned land from 5% to 6%.[3]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
if legislation came to my desk as governor to overturn abortion, I would sign it.
Civil Beat reports he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in 2022 that if legislation to overturn abortion came to his desk as governor, he would sign it.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Gary Cordery, a Republican general contractor who has never held public office, won the 2026 Republican nomination for governor of Hawaii over Ken Fujiyama and faces Gov. Josh Green. His campaign emphasizes lower costs, tax cuts, permitting reform and government transparency.[1][2]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Cordery moved to Hawaii in 1981 and founded the contracting firm Kingdom Builders.[1] In a Honolulu Civil Beat candidate survey he described himself as a husband, father, grandfather, businessman and community servant.[2]
He co-founded the Aloha Freedom Coalition and finished third in the 2022 Republican primary for governor.[1] He sought the nomination again in the August 8, 2026 primary.[1][2]
In their own words
Priorities
- Lower taxes and a smaller scope of government, including freezing senior property taxes and eliminating the general excise tax on food and medicine.[3]
- Housing: using state land for about 15,000 fee-simple homes and creating an independent permit department.[3]
- More transparency: an office of transparency and audits and a ban on political donations from local unions and national PACs.[3]
Statements, quoted without a stance
- Faster transition away from fossil fuels
“I am not necessarily opposed, but considering new technologies like Hydrogen, Fission and SNR's are solutions for the future.”[3]
Civil Beat candidate Q&A, July 20, 2026, answering whether he supports a temporary transition to liquefied natural gas
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/gary-cordery
Compare all 2 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.Cordery Runs Against Hawaii Gov. Josh Green · Honolulu Civil Beat · 2026-10 News report
- 2.Candidate Q&A: Governor - Gary Cordery · Honolulu Civil Beat · 2026-07-20 News report
- 3.Candidate Q&A: Governor - Gary Cordery · Honolulu Civil Beat · 2026-07-20 News report
- 4.Cordery Runs Against Hawaii Gov. Josh Green · Honolulu Civil Beat · 2026-10 News report