What the latest filed reports show about fundraising capacity, self-financing and notable financial support.
These figures reflect reports covering activity through June 30, 2026. The next reports, covering July 1–24, are due July 29. Fundraising totals will change, and a contribution does not by itself establish influence, agreement or improper conduct.
approximately raised
Funding profile: Broad support from real estate, tourism, transportation, construction trades, businesses and political committees. The total includes $20,000 from her husband.
approximately raised
Funding profile: Support includes labor organizations, construction and development interests, administration members and people associated with wildfire recovery.
reported receipts, including loans
Funding profile: Approximately three-quarters of reported receipts came from loans she made to her own campaign, indicating personal financial commitment but a smaller outside donor base.
Some donors supported both Bissen and Sugimura, including Friends of Esther Kiaʻāina, IBEW 1186 PAC, Goodfellow Bros. chairman Stephen Goodfellow and HMSA CEO Mark Mugiishi. This cautions against treating every contribution as an exclusive ideological alignment.
John Dunbar, Justin Herrmann, Travis Liggett, Joseph Moses, Amy Petterson, Callahan Welsh and Laurent Zahnd indicated that they had raised and spent less than $1,000 and therefore were not required to submit the July detailed report. Their lack of detailed filings should be read as limited campaign financial activity—not proof that they received no support at all.
| Observation | Reasonable interpretation | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Sugimura leads in money raised, spending and cash. | She has demonstrated the strongest fundraising network and financial capacity to challenge the incumbent. | Money does not establish voter support or policy independence. |
| Bissen has substantial institutional and industry support. | The incumbent retains a serious coalition and enough resources to compete strongly. | Donor categories are mixed and cannot be reduced to one interest group. |
| La Costa supplied most of her campaign resources herself. | Her visibility is supported more by personal financing than a comparably broad donor network. | Self-financing is neither inherently positive nor negative. |
Campaign finance strengthens the evidence that Sugimura and Bissen are the two most institutionally viable campaigns. It also adds useful context to Bill 9: Sugimura received notable support from interests affected by tourism and real-estate policy, while Bissen received notable support from labor, construction and development interests. The information is relevant, but no contribution alone proves how either candidate would act in office.
Primary records: Hawaiʻi Campaign Spending Commission Candidate Filing System • 2026 reporting schedule
Independent review of filings: Honolulu Civil Beat, July 14, 2026