Josh Green (politician)

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This article is about American politician from Hawaii. For other people with the same name, see Joshua Green.
Josh Green
Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii Josh Green.jpg
14th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
Assumed office
December 3, 2018
GovernorDavid Ige
Preceded byDoug Chin
Member of the Hawaii Senate
from the 3rd district
In office
November 4, 2008 – November 6, 2018
Preceded byPaul Whalen
Succeeded byDru Kanuha
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
from the 6th district
In office
November 2, 2004 – November 4, 2008
Preceded byMark Jernigan
Succeeded byDenny Coffman
Personal details
Born (1970-02-11) February 11, 1970 (age 51)
Kingston, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Jaime Ushiroda
Children2
ResidenceHonolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
EducationSwarthmore College (BS)
Pennsylvania State University, Hershey (MD)
WebsiteGovernment website

Joshua B. Green (born February 11, 1970) is an American politician and physician serving as the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the Hawaii State Senator from the 3rd district from 2009 to 2018 and Hawaii State Representative for the 6th district from 2005 to 2009.

Early life and education[]

Born in Kingston, New York, Green was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Green earned his bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College and his MD from Pennsylvania State University.[1][2]

Career[]

Green was elected to the Hawaii State House of Representatives on November 2, 2004, and served two terms before being elected to the Hawaii State Senate in 2008, where he chaired the Committees on Health and Human Services and served as the Majority Floor Leader.

Green championed the initiative to create an insurance mandate for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the legislation known as "Luke's Law" went into effect on January 1, 2016. In 2018, he fought to establish a legal safeguard so that parents with disabilities would no longer have their children taken away from them because of their disabilities. He also led the charge in raising the legal age to obtain tobacco products and electronic cigarettes from 18 to 21, making Hawaii the first state to do so. In addition to his work in the State Legislature, Green is also an emergency department physician at Kohala Hospital on Hawaii Island.[3]

Green won the Democratic primary as his party's nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii and was the running mate of incumbent Democratic Governor David Ige. They both won the general election on November 6, 2018. Ige tasked Green with addressing the chronic homeless crisis in Hawaii, calling on him to use his background as a physician to address the complex issues such as mental illness and addiction which affect the homeless at high rates in Hawaii.[4]

On March 3, 2020 Hawai`i Governor Ige appointed Green as the administration’s liaison between the state and healthcare community as it pertains to COVID-19 preparedness and response.[5] On September 11, 2020, Josh Green was diagnosed with COVID-19. He subsequently quarantined himself at home apart from his family for two weeks.[6][7]

A poll conducted in April 2021 by Hawaii News Now found that Green had a 63% approval rating with only 17% of voters disapproving of his work as Lieutenant Governor, while Governor Ige held an approval rating of just 22%.[8] Such a difference between the approval rating of a Governor and their Lieutenant Governor is highly unusual. Some analysts attributed this gap to Green's visibility throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and background as an emergency room doctor.[9]

Personal life[]

Green is Jewish.[10] In 2006 Green married Jaime Ushiroda. They have two children, Maia and Sam.

Green came to Hawaii to serve in the National Health Service Corps as a physician for the Big Island. He has remained a physician in Hawaii’s rural emergency departments while serving in public office.[3]

Awards and achievements[]

  • 2015 Autism Speaks Legislative Champion
  • 2014 Advocacy Award, HAFP
  • 2013 HMA Legislator of the Year – vineo Video
  • 2013 ACOG Hawaii Legislator of the Year
  • 2012 Healthcare Association of Hawaii Legislator of the Year
  • 2009/2010 HMA Hawaii Physician of the Year
  • 2009 Legislator of the Year, Hawaii Dental Association
  • 2008 Outstanding Elected Leader, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii
  • 2007 Visionary Leadership Award, American Psychology Association, 2007
  • 2007 Friend of the Family Award, Hawaii Family Forum and Hawaii Catholic Conference, presented by Bishop Silva
  • 2006 Kulia Award, Hawaii Primary Care Association Legislator of the Year
  • 2006 Aloha Spirit Film Festival Award
  • 2005 Legislator of the Year, Hawaii Psychological Association.[11]

Elections[]

  • 2018: Green was elected as the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii and running mate of incumbent Democratic Governor David Ige. Ige and Green won the general election on November 6, 2018.
  • 2014: Green was re-elected to a four-year term in the State Senate on November 4, 2014 with 82.46% of the vote. He was named Majority Floor Leader and continued to chair the Senate Health Committee, and also served as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee and Human Services Committee.[citation needed]
  • 2012: Green was unopposed for the August 11, 2012 Democratic Primary, winning with 5,981 votes,[12] and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 11,351 votes (74.4%) against Republican nominee Jeff Lafrance.[13]
  • 2008: When Republican Senator Paul Whalen retired and left the Senate District 3 seat open, Green won the September 20, 2008 Democratic Primary with 6,802 votes (74.1%),[14] and was unopposed for the November 4, 2008 General election.[15]
  • 2006: Green was unopposed for both the September 26, 2006 Democratic Primary, winning with 1,798 votes,[16] and the November 7, 2006 General election.[17]
  • 2004: Challenging incumbent Republican State Representative Mark Jernigan, Green was unopposed for the September 18, 2004 Democratic Primary, winning with 1,698 votes.[18] Green won the November 2, 2004 General election with 4,337 votes (52.4%) against Jernigan.[19]

References[]

  1. ^ "Senator Josh Green". Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii State Legislature. Archived from the original on September 30, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  2. ^ "Joshua Green's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Brévart-Demm, Carol (October 2012). "From the ER to State Senate and Back". Swarthmore College Bulletin. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  4. ^ Nakaso, Dan (2019-02-28). "Lt. Gov. Josh Green targets homelessness". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  5. ^ Ige, David. "Office Of The Governor — News Release — Gov. Ige Designates Lt. Gov. Green As Administration's Covid-19 Healthcare Liaison". Office of the Governor. State of Hawai`i. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  6. ^ https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/09/11/lt-gov-josh-green-staff-be-tested-covid-after-positive-case-his-office/
  7. ^ https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/doh-clears-lt-gov-josh-green-as-an-active-covid-19-case/
  8. ^ https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/05/civil-beat-hnn-poll-hawaii-voters-really-really-like-lt-gov-josh-green/
  9. ^ https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/7/16/2040136/-Morning-Digest-Hawaii-is-hosting-its-first-open-governor-s-race-in-years-Here-s-the-field-so-far
  10. ^ Klug, Lisa (20 July 2016). "A small island of Judaism in Hawaiian politics". Times of Israel.
  11. ^ http://joshgreen.org
  12. ^ "Primary Election 2012 – State of Hawaii – Statewide August 11, 2012" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 1. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  13. ^ "Hawaii General 2012 – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 6, 2012" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 1. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  14. ^ "Primary Election 2008 – State of Hawaii – Statewide September 20, 2008" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 1. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  15. ^ "General Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 4, 2008" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 1. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  16. ^ "Primary Election 2006 – State of Hawaii – Statewide September 26, 2006" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 4. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  17. ^ "General Election 2006 – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 7, 2006" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 2. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  18. ^ "Open Primary 2004 – State of Hawaii – Statewide September 18, 2004" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 2. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  19. ^ "General Election 2004 – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 2, 2004" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 1. Retrieved December 5, 2013.

External links[]

Party political offices
Preceded by
Shan Tsutsui 		Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
2018 		Most recent
Political offices
Preceded by
Doug Chin 		Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
2018–present 		Incumbent
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