The district encompasses all rural and most suburban areas of Oahu/Honolulu County, as well as the entire state outside of Oahu.

The first non-resident elected to this seat was Ed Case, a Honolulu attorney, though he was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii.

The home state office of the second congressional district is at the Prince Kuhio Federal Building near Honolulu Harbor.

In October 2019, Representative Tulsi Gabbard announced that she would not seek reelection, instead choosing to focus on her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

[4] Other Democrats who announced were David Cornejo, Brian Evans (a self-described "Berniecrat" who ran for the seat as a Republican in 2018), Noelle Famera, and Ryan Meza.