Ron Curtis
Ron Curtis (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Hawaii. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 10, 2024.
Biography
Curtis earned a bachelor's degree in computer science with minors in architecture, electrical engineering, physics, and mathematics from the University of Maryland Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Engineering. He is a Certified Cisco Network Administrator (CCNA). Curtis' professional experience includes working as a systems engineer as a government contractor for NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Agriculture. He retired in February 2016.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: United States Senate election in Hawaii, 2024
General election
General election for U.S. Senate Hawaii
Incumbent Mazie K. Hirono defeated Bob McDermott, Shelby Billionaire, and Emma Pohlman in the general election for U.S. Senate Hawaii on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mazie K. Hirono (D) | 64.6 | 324,194 |
 | Bob McDermott (R) | 31.9 | 160,075 | |
 | Shelby Billionaire (We the People) | 1.8 | 9,224 | |
 | Emma Pohlman (G) | 1.6 | 8,270 | |
| Total votes: 501,763 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii
Incumbent Mazie K. Hirono defeated Ron Curtis and Clyde McClain Lewman in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 10, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mazie K. Hirono | 90.5 | 176,131 |
 | Ron Curtis | 7.3 | 14,271 | |
 | Clyde McClain Lewman | 2.2 | 4,287 | |
| Total votes: 194,689 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 10, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bob McDermott | 51.9 | 27,961 |
 | Adriel Lam | 16.5 | 8,913 | |
| Melba Amaral | 14.2 | 7,627 | ||
 | Paul Dolan | 7.4 | 4,006 | |
 | Arturo Reyes | 6.2 | 3,319 | |
 | Emmanuel Tipon | 3.8 | 2,075 | |
| Total votes: 53,901 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Harry Friel Jr. (R)
- Keith Drummond Lambert (R)
- Ku Lono Cuadra (R)
- Lester Fung (R)
- Walter Kupau Jr. (R)
- Eddie Pirkowski (R)
- Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (R)
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii
No candidate advanced from the primary.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
 | John Giuffre | 100.0 | 966 | |
Vote totals may be incomplete for this race. | ||||
| Total votes: 966 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Aloha Aina Party primary election
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Dan Decker (Aloha Aina Party)
Green primary election
Green primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii
Emma Pohlman advanced from the Green primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 10, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emma Pohlman | 100.0 | 1,342 |
| Total votes: 1,342 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jennifer Booker (G)
Libertarian primary election
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Aaron Toman (L)
We the People primary election
We the People primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii
Shelby Billionaire advanced from the We the People primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 10, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shelby Billionaire | 100.0 | 977 |
| Total votes: 977 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Curtis in this election.
2020
See also: Hawaii's 1st Congressional District election, 2020
Hawaii's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (August 8 Republican primary)
Hawaii's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (August 8 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Hawaii District 1
Incumbent Ed Case defeated Ron Curtis in the general election for U.S. House Hawaii District 1 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ed Case (D) | 72.0 | 183,245 |
| Ron Curtis (R) | 28.0 | 71,188 | |
| Total votes: 254,433 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Hawaii District 1
Incumbent Ed Case advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Hawaii District 1 on August 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ed Case | 100.0 | 131,802 |
| Total votes: 131,802 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Hawaii District 1
Ron Curtis defeated James Dickens, Nancy Olson, Arturo Reyes, and Taylor Smith in the Republican primary for U.S. House Hawaii District 1 on August 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ron Curtis | 41.1 | 13,909 |
 | James Dickens | 21.0 | 7,120 | |
 | Nancy Olson | 19.7 | 6,665 | |
| Arturo Reyes | 12.7 | 4,301 | |
 | Taylor Smith | 5.4 | 1,839 | |
| Total votes: 33,834 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Calvin Griffin ran in the nonpartisan primary and received 2,324 votes. Hawaii election law requires nonpartisan candidates in partisan races to receive at least 10% of the votes cast for the office or to receive a vote total equal to or greater than the lowest vote total of a winning partisan candidate. Griffin did not meet that threshold.[2]
2018
General election
Incumbent Mazie K. Hirono defeated Ron Curtis in the general election for U.S. Senate Hawaii on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for U.S. Senate Hawaii
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mazie K. Hirono (D) | 71.2 | 276,316 |
| Ron Curtis (R) | 28.8 | 112,035 | |
| Total votes: 388,351 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Incumbent Mazie K. Hirono advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 11, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mazie K. Hirono | 100.0 | 201,604 |
| Total votes: 201,604 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 11, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ron Curtis | 23.7 | 6,370 |
 | Consuelo Anderson | 19.3 | 5,166 | |
 | Robert Helsham | 14.9 | 3,988 | |
| Thomas E. White | 13.6 | 3,657 | ||
 | Roque De La Fuente | 11.4 | 3,060 | |
 | George Berish | 6.2 | 1,658 | |
 | Michael Hodgkiss | 5.9 | 1,575 | |
 | Eddie Pirkowski | 5.1 | 1,357 | |
| Total votes: 26,831 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ron Curtis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Curtis’ campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Campaign Focus The Hawai’i economy: '“Reduce Hawai’i’s highest cost of living in the nation. Hawai’i’s state gross domestic product grew from $88 billion in 2018 to $108 billion in 2023.”'
Government: “Quality of government over quantity of government. Elected officials are public servants under oath to serve the needs of the people. The constitution and bill of rights were created to protect the American people against the danger associated with the excessive accumulation of power in the hands of a few. Government is wasteful and inept because it has grown to the point that it is too big to be adequately managed or overseen. Smarter legislation. Competition drives excellence.”
‘Ohana: “Ensure that our keiki and kupuna have every opportunity to thrive. Support our keiki in every way possible, they are the future. ‘Ohana is a crucial pillar in our community. It has been proven that the family structure, whether brought together in marriage, by guardianship or adoption, benefits both the individual and society. ‘Ohana enhances the cause of liberty by reducing the need for government in our daily lives.”
Native Hawaiian History, Culture, and Heritage: “Recognize and affirm the philosophy and efforts of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, the first prince and native Hawaiian elected to U.S. Congress. In his 19-years of service he supported legislation for native Hawaiian rights to a land base for housing, farming and preservation of traditional and cultural practices. His dream was fulfilled with passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921.” [3] |
” |
| —Ron Curtis’ campaign website (2024)[4] | ||
2020
Ron Curtis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Ron Curtis participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on June 22, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Ron Curtis's responses follow below.[5]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | 1) Reduce the high cost of living in Hawai'i. 2) Reduce corruption in federal government (Campaign Spending Reform, Term Limits, Line Item Veto). 3) Hold government accountable (Balanced Budget, Transparent Accountability, Remand services and programs to private enterprise wherever possible).[6][3] | ” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | Fiscal policy - Government is inept and wasteful because it has grown too big to be adequately managed or overseen. Health policy - ACA, Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and the Veterans Health Administration. We need one, efficient and effective nationally-guided healthcare system for everyone in the US.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[3]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Ron Curtis answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| “ | My first influence was Robert F. Kennedy and his vision. Later after learning history, John F. Kennedy with his outside-the-box thinking. Thomas Jefferson after researching him as a great US renaissance man. Ronald Reagan for his pragmatic and direct style of governing. Four others are Henry David Thoreau, Robert Frost, Albert Einstein, and Frank Lloyd Wright. I connect with the accomplishments and the thought processes of all of them.[3] | ” |
| “ | Books: "Civil Disobedience", "Atlas Shrugged" Movies: "Kingdom of Heaven", "Braveheart", "The Patriot"[3] | ” |
| “ | Elected officials are public servants under oath to serve the needs of the people. Government exists to protect our inalienable rights, to defend our sovereignty and borders, and to provide infrastructure for the common good. Based on the Constitution, the government that governs least, governs best. Government, at any level, should not perform functions which are better and less expensively performed by individuals or private organizations. Government enforces laws that allow for a prosperous free market; it does not compete with nor over-regulate the free market. Government is charged with the responsibility to craft long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes. Elected officials should be honest, transparent, open-minded, present, and focused on legislating based on what is best for the country and not their political careers.[3] | ” |
| “ | I am open, honest, and caring for those around me and will be for those who I will serve. I am an agent of change. I had a 35-year systems engineering career in a wide variety of roles across multiple disciplines driving change and innovation to deliver or improve efficiency and effectiveness on government contracts while significantly eliminating or preventing waste. I am a catalytic problem solver and I will be a catalytic legislator. I bring outside-the-box thinking that is severely needed in Congress to drive positive comprehensive change across the whole of our federal government.[3] | ” |
| “ | The serve the people of Hawai'i.[3] | ” |
| “ | The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. I was 6 years old at the time.[3] | ” |
| “ | I was a paper delivery boy. I held it for four years before moving on to larger jobs.[3] | ” |
| “ | I actually believe exactly the opposite. There should be no such thing as a career politician. The average length of service by CEO's in US businesses, based on their ability to remain effective, averages to about 10 years. We need the continuous infusion of new ideas and new approaches from new members of Congress to keep our government current, efficient, and effective. Not the business as usual from career politicians.[3] | ” |
| “ | I am against the filibuster and if elected, I will work to remove the filibuster from the Senate procedural rules.[3] | ” |
| “ | It is definitely beneficial to build relationships with other senators and members of Congress. Especially those members also from my home state of Hawai'i.[3] | ” |
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
I am a common sense, moderate, reform Republican. Just like most everyone I know, I am frustrated with the current ineffective state of our federal government and its divisive underlying partisan politics in Washington DC. Our federal government is wasteful and inept because it has grown to the point that it is too big to be adequately managed or overseen. There isn't enough outside-the-box thinking in Congress to drive the positive change and innovation we need in our government. So I decided to run for office to be part of the solution. I am running on utilizing my systems engineering skill sets to affect my platform of comprehensive change across the whole of our federal government. I am an agent of change, positive change, comprehensive change. Is there anything you would like to add? I am retired at a good place in life. Through lifelong planning, hard work, good fortune, and making the most of opportunities, I was able to retire early on Kaua'i with a pension and a 401k savings account that will outlast my lifetime. I have always made an effort to live a pay-it-forward lifestyle. In an effort to pay my good fortune forward, the right thing to do with this senate opportunity is to run for the US Senate for the people of Hawai'i. I have no need to run for office myself and any of the senator salary that isn't used towards personal senatorial expenses, approximately $120,000 annually out of the $174,000 salary, will be donated to charities in Hawai'i for our keiki. Our keiki are our future and there is no better investment for our future than investing in our keiki. I am running on more than just issues, I am running on solutions. We need more solutions, not more business as usual. On my website, roncurtis808.com, I have posted comprehensive solutions to the issues I am addressing on my campaign platform and focus pages. Including a comprehensive approach to address my primary issue of reducing the high cost of living in Hawai'i. I am running on a message of improving our quality of life through reform and innovation that is strong enough, thorough enough, clear enough, and loud enough to reach the people of Hawai'i.[3] |
” |
| —Ron Curtis[1] | ||
Candidate website
Curtis' campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
The purpose of government is to serve the people. Government is charged with the responsibility to craft long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes. We have to hold our government accountable for securing the safety of our ‘Ohana, for expanding our economy, and for promoting fairness and justice for all the people of Hawai’i. “I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government” -Henry David Thoreau Core campaign principles:
|
” |
| —Ron Curtis’s campaign website (2018)[7] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on June 22, 2018
- ↑ Hawaii Office of Elections, "Primary Election 2020 Statewide Summary," accessed August 9, 2020
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ron Curtis' campaign website, “Campaign Focus,” accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Ron Curtis's responses," June 22, 2018
- ↑ Ron Curtis for US Senate, "Campaign Platform," accessed October 19, 2018
