Ed Case

U.S. Rep. Ed Case's pitch to voters in the upcoming August primary is simple. Consider just one of his online ads titled "Seniority Matters." In it, Case alludes to his 12 years in Congress and the fact that he sits on one of the most powerful financial committees in the country, appropriations, where each year he directs billions of dollars in federal spending, including to Hawaii. With a single sentence delivered straight to camera he sums up his candidacy. "If reelected," he says, "I'll move to the top 25% of House seniority, expand my role on our powerful House Appropriations Committee, and increase my ability to just get stuff done."

Case, a Democrat, is seeking his fifth term representing Hawaii's 1st Congressional District, which covers urban Oahu from Hawaii Kai to Ewa. But if he's to return to Washington in 2027 he'll need to stave off a challenge from 42-year-old state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who's now his main opponent in the contest.