Sam Kong

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Sam Kong
Image of Sam Kong
Hawaii House of Representatives District 33
Tenure

2014 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

10

Compensation

Base salary

$74,160/year

Per diem

$225/day; only for legislators who do not reside on Oahu.

Elections and appointments
Last elected

August 10, 2024

Education

High school

Kalani High School

Personal
Profession
Florist
Contact

Sam Kong (Democratic Party) is a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives, representing District 33. He assumed office on November 4, 2014. His current term ends on November 3, 2026.

Kong (Democratic Party) won re-election to the Hawaii House of Representatives to represent District 33 outright in the Democratic primary on August 10, 2024, after the general election was canceled.

Biography

Kong's professional experience includes working as an assistant service manager at Software Plus, an assistant service manager at SERVCO, an author, and as the owner and president of Aiea Florist.[1]

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2023-2024

Kong was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Kong was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Kong was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Hawaii committee assignments, 2017
Energy & Environmental Protection
Water & Land, Vice chair

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Kong served on the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2024

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2024

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33

Incumbent Sam Kong won election outright in the Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33 on August 10, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Sam Kong
Sam Kong
 
100.0
 
4,970

Total votes: 4,970
Candidate Connection = 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kong in this election.

Pledges

Kong signed the following pledges.

  • U.S. Term Limits

2022

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2022

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33

Incumbent Sam Kong won election outright against Tracy Arakaki in the Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33 on August 13, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Sam Kong
Sam Kong
 
64.1
 
4,931
Image of Tracy Arakaki
Tracy Arakaki
 
35.9
 
2,765

Total votes: 7,696
Candidate Connection = 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.

2020

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33

Incumbent Sam Kong defeated Jennifer Boyette in the general election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Sam Kong
Sam Kong (D)
 
74.5
 
9,010
Jennifer Boyette (R)
 
25.5
 
3,084

Total votes: 12,094
Candidate Connection = 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33

Incumbent Sam Kong defeated Tracy Arakaki in the Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33 on August 8, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Sam Kong
Sam Kong
 
62.1
 
4,750
Image of Tracy Arakaki
Tracy Arakaki
 
37.9
 
2,897

Total votes: 7,647
Candidate Connection = 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 Hawaii House of Representatives District 33

Jennifer Boyette advanced from the Republican primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33 on August 8, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Jennifer Boyette
 
100.0
 
703

Total votes: 703
Candidate Connection = 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.

2018

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

The general election was canceled. Incumbent Sam Kong won election in the general election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33

Incumbent Sam Kong defeated Tracy Arakaki and David Matsushita in the Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33 on August 11, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Sam Kong
Sam Kong
 
56.7
 
3,844
Image of Tracy Arakaki
Tracy Arakaki
 
28.4
 
1,922
David Matsushita
 
14.9
 
1,013

Total votes: 6,779
Candidate Connection = 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.

2016

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Hawaii House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016.

Incumbent Sam Kong ran unopposed in the Hawaii House of Representatives District 33 general election.[2]

Hawaii House of Representatives, District 33 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Sam Kong Incumbent (unopposed)
Source: State of Hawaii - Office of Elections


Incumbent Sam Kong defeated Tracy Arakaki in the Hawaii House of Representatives District 33 Democratic primary.[3][4]

Hawaii House of Representatives, District 33 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Sam Kong Incumbent 50.34% 2,707
     Democratic Tracy Arakaki 49.66% 2,670
Total Votes 5,377

2014

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Hawaii House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 9, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 3, 2014. Sam Kong defeated Tracy Arakaki and Arnold Wong in the Democratic primary, while Robert C. Helsham, Sr. was unopposed in the Republican primary. Kong defeated Helsham in the general election.[5][6][7]

Hawaii House of Representatives, District 33, General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngSam Kong 73.6% 6,526
     Republican Robert C. Helsham, Sr. 26.4% 2,346
Total Votes 8,872
Hawaii House of Representatives, District 33 Democratic Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngSam Kong 37% 2,417
Tracy Arakaki 35.7% 2,332
Arnold Wong 27.4% 1,789
Total Votes 6,538

2012

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2012

Kong ran in the 2012 election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 33. Kong ran unopposed in the August 11 Republican primary and was defeated by District 34 incumbent K. Mark Takai (D) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[8][9][10]

Hawaii House of Representatives, District 33, General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngK. Mark Takai Incumbent 67.2% 7,277
     Republican Sam Kong 32.8% 3,556
Total Votes 10,833

2010

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2010

Kong had no opposition in the September 18 primary. He lost to Blake Oshiro (D) in the general election on November 2, 2010.[11]

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sam Kong did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Sam Kong did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Sam Kong did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2012

Kong's campaign website listed the following issues:[12]

  • Taxes
Excerpt: "NO TAX INCREASES! ...Our taxes are high because of the burdens we have placed upon ourselves through the years of trying to be the good guy. Oh yes, many a legislator wants to do good for the people of Hawaii, I have no doubt, but in doing so, they take on certain responsibilities and costs that become counter productive. ...Government is NOT the answer, and people truly need not look to the government for answers . There is a need to look to family, friends, churches, private institutions, because there is help out there."
  • Transportation
Excerpt: "Transportation has so many problems with the city doing one thing, and the state doing another. I understand the many responsibilities from air, sea and land. However, when it comes to roads there are different entities with differing plans."

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.


Sam Kong campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Hawaii House of Representatives District 33Won primary$18,200 $5,271
2022Hawaii House of Representatives District 33Won primary$10,250 $13,736
2020Hawaii House of Representatives District 33Won general$23,409 N/A**
2018Hawaii House of Representatives District 33Won general$27,999 N/A**
2016Hawaii House of Representatives, District 33Won $0 N/A**
2014Hawaii House of Representatives, District 33Won $77 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Hawaii

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Hawaii scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.


2024


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014


Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Kong has a wife, June, and two children, Courtney and Justin.[14]

See also


External links

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by
-
Hawaii House of Representatives District 33
2014-Present
Succeeded by
-


Current members of the Hawaii House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Nadine Nakamura
Majority Leader:Sean Quinlan
Minority Leader:Lauren Matsumoto
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
Sam Kong (D)
District 34
District 35
Cory Chun (D)
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
Democratic Party (42)
Republican Party (9)