AG who led Hawaii’s travel ban legal fight takes new post

HONOLULU – Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin, who led the state’s legal opposition to the Trump administration’s travel ban, will have a new job in state government.

Chin announced Friday he will accept the position of lieutenant governor, replacing Shan Tsutsui, who resigned this week.

Hawaii’s attorney general is third in line of succession to become lieutenant governor in case of a vacancy, behind the Senate president and House speaker. Both legislators declined the lieutenant governor’s post this week.

Chin had already announced he was resigning as attorney general in March to focus on a run for the U.S. House seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa. She is challenging Gov. David Ige in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Chin, also a Democrat, says he will continue to campaign for Congress.