# 2006 Hawaii gubernatorial election

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The 2006 Hawaii gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Linda Lingle was the first Republican to be elected governor of Hawaii since 1959. Although 2006 was a strong election year for Democrats, Lingle won re-election by a landslide owing to an economic rebound in the state that occurred during her tenure after a shaky decade for the state economy during the 1990s and early 2000s. As of 2025, this is the last time Republicans won a statewide election in Hawaii, as well as the only time in Hawaii history that a Republican governor was re-elected. Additionally, this alongside 1972 United States presidential election were the only two times Republicans won the state with more than 60% of the vote.

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Linda Lingle, incumbent governor
* George L. Berish, fellow of the Society of Actuaries
* Paul Manner, freelance news correspondent
* George G. Peabody, editor of the Molokai Advertiser-News

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Linda Lingle (incumbent) | 31,275 | 97.42 |
| | Republican | George Peabody | 322 | 1.00 |
| | Republican | George L. Berish | 295 | 0.92 |
| | Republican | Paul Manner | 211 | 0.66 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 32,103 | 100 |

## Democratic primary
### Candidate

* Randy Iwase, former state senator and former Honolulu city councilor
* William Aila, Wai'anae harbormaster
* Van Tanabe, former telecommunications executive

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Randy Iwase | 119,058 | 66.43 |
| | Democratic | William J. Aila, Jr. | 43,845 | 24.46 |
| | Democratic | Van K. Tanabe | 16,317 | 9.10 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 179,220 | 100 |

## Green Party

* James Brewer Jr. - full-time political-economic educator and advocate for Hawaii's employee families

## Libertarian Party

* Ozell Daniel, comedian

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid R | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe R | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Safe R | November 2, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics | Safe R | November 6, 2006 |

### Results

Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Linda Lingle (incumbent) | 215,313 | 62.53% | +10.98% |
| | Democratic | Randy Iwase | 121,717 | 35.35% | −11.66% |
| | Green | James Brewer, Jr. | 5,435 | 1.58% | |
| | Libertarian | Ozell Daniel | 1,850 | 0.54% | +0.18% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93,596 | 27.18% | +22.64% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 344,315 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Kauai (largest community: Kapa'a)