Rep. Kai Kahele (D-Hawaii) revealed that he plans to run for governor in hopes of succeeding term-limited Gov. David Ige (D).
After weeks of speculation, Kahele, a first-term congressman, made the official announcement during an event in his hometown of Hilo, according to CNN.
"I have dedicated my life to serving the people of Hawai'i, and if given the honor to serve as your governor, I will continue the mission," Kahele said on Saturday.
Kahele is a former pilot and state senator; he was elected to succeed Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D) in 2020, CNN reported.
"Hawai'i has been controlled by special interests & big [money] for far too long," Kahle said on Twitter. "Today, we put an end to that by taking donations of no more than $100. Please help us return Hawai'i to the people by donating to our grassroots campaign today! #HawaiiNotForSale"
Kahele seeks to take corporate funding out of politics in order to "empower our communities from the ground up," according to his campaign website.
The candidate will have competition for the Democratic primary, as Lt. Gov. Josh Green and former first lady Vicky Cayetano revealed that they are running for governor as well, according to CNN.