David A. Tarnas
Hawaii State Representative, District 8 since 1994. Ran in 7 elections between 1994 and 2024, winning 6. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 32 yrs
- Since 1994
- Bills became law
- 89
- 726 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 1.5%
- With party
- 100%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +38.1
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs · chair
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Tarnas sits in the Hawaii House of Representatives
Tarnas is closer to the center than 7% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Kirstin Kahaloa, Chris Todd, Justin Woodson
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:49 PM ET
With Tarnas’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats100%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Hawaii House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Tarnas’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Tarnas | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2026 | HB 1823: RELATING TO THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACT. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 33–18 |
| May 8, 2026 | SB 2169: RELATING TO THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 40–11 |
| May 6, 2026 | SB 2101: RELATING TO ORGANIC WASTE. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 45–6 |
| May 6, 2026 | HB 1870: RELATING TO PROTECTED COMMUNITY LOCATIONS. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 44–7 |
| May 6, 2026 | SB 2568: RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC SERVANTS. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 45–6 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Tarnas was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Hawaii House of Representatives, District 8 | Won | D+38.1 | D+30.7 | +7.4 |
| 2024 | Hawaii House of Representatives, District 8 | Won | D+24.7 | D+30.7 | −6.0 |
| 2022 | Hawaii House of Representatives, District 8 | Won | D+38.3 | D+38.3 | 0.0 |
| 2020 | Hawaii House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2018 | Hawaii House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | D+53.9 | — | — |
| 1998 | Hawaii House of Representatives, District 6 | Lost | R+1.0 | — | — |
| 1996 | Hawaii House of Representatives, District 6 | Won | D+14.0 | — | — |
| 1994 | Hawaii House of Representatives, District 6 | Won | D+5.5 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Hawaii Office of Elections and civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $54K
- Spent
- $28.8K
- Cash
- $94K
Source: Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission filings through Oct 19, 2026Updated Oct 31, 2026, 10:46 PM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Tarnas, D avid State | Active |
Source: Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission filings through Oct 19, 2026Updated Oct 31, 2026, 10:46 PM ET
Seats Tarnas has held
- Hawaii House of Representatives, District 8 · since 2022
- Hawaii House of Representatives, District 7 · since 2018
- Hawaii House of Representatives, District 6 · since 1994
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Tarnas has run against
- Monique Perreira (R) · 2026 election, won
- Tom Belekanich (R) · 2018 election, won
- Jim Rath (R) · 1998 election, lost
- Rick McDermott (R) · 1996 election, won
- J. Curtis Tyler (R) · 1994 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Hawaii Office of Elections and civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Tarnas
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/fca91474-67f3-4b01-a985-6b0ddbfb2227
- Wikidata Q104990441
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET