The tension between development growth and "keeping the country country" looms large in several traditionally rural areas along the west and north coasts of Oahu. Of the contested races in House Districts 43-51, two open seats have spurred lively campaigning — as has the subtext of discontent over the marriage-equality debate. Here are the Star-Advertiser’s endorsements for Districts 43-51 (other House districts were covered earlier this week):

» 43rd District (Kalaeloa-Ko Olina-Maili): Democratic incumbent Karen Awana faces a spirited challenge from first-time Republican candidate Andria Tupola, a well-spoken Kamehameha graduate who has run a high-energy campaign. But Awana, a fourth-generation resident of the Waianae Coast who has served in the House for eight years, gets our nod because of her thorough knowledge of the issues and strong advocacy for her district. She worked to secure funds for a state library in Nanakuli, as well as $10 million for Farrington Highway road improvements. She endorses amending building codes to allow smaller homes to ease the affordable housing crisis, and supported efforts this year to update the 1970-era Hawaii State Plan to reflect Hawaii’s current and future needs.

» 44th District (Waianae-Makaha-Makua): Jo Jordan, the Democratic incumbent, has deep roots in the community, serving on the Waianae Coast Neighborhood Board for 10 years before entering the House in 2011. She has been an effective representative for her constituents, seeing through road projects to ease the area’s No. 1 concern, traffic congestion. She also promotes policies that would create more jobs on the Leeward side so her constituents don’t have to drive into town; putting unused agricultural lands back into active farming to avoid being rezoned; and has worked to increase resources for schoolchildren, particularly technology such as laptops and high-speed Internet. Jordan faces Allen Frenzel, a Libertarian and Army veteran, and Cedric Gates, the Green Party candidate. Frenzel favors downsizing the military presence and return of the Army’s Wheeler, Schofield and Makua properties to the state.

» 45th District (Mililani-Schofield-Kunia): Lauren Cheape Matsumoto, the Republican incumbent and former Miss Hawaii who won her first race two years ago, has proven adept on the issues and energetic on behalf of her community. She shows much promise for future leadership, both for her constituents and the minority party, and deserves another term. She strongly supports agriculture on the Leeward side — her great-grandfather established Petersons’ Upland Farm in 1910 — including tax incentives for farmers, protecting agricultural land zoning and educational programs in schools. She faces Michael Magaoay, the veteran Democratic politician who served 10 years in the House before running unsuccessfully for the Senate. He advocates cleaning up Lake Wilson to make it suitable for growing leafy vegetable crops.

» 47th District (Waialua-Kahuku-Waiahole): The distinct communities here share concerns about traffic on busy Kamehameha Highway and other development issues. Of the two strong candidates for the open seat, Democrat Kent Fonoimoana has the longer record of advocating for controlled growth, which would serve his district well. Fonoimoana sits on the Koolauloa Neighborhood Board and the Kahuku Community Association, and has been active with Defend Oahu Coalition and the efforts to preserve some of the land surrounding Turtle Bay Resort. Fonoimoana faces stiff opposition from Republican Feki Pouha, who earned a law degree and works as an independent contractor for the financial services firm Primerica.

» 48th District (Kahaluu-Ahuimanu-Kaneohe): Another open seat has inspired a lively three-way race, including Republican Eldean Kukahiko and Libertarian Kaimanu Takayama. But it’s Democrat Jarrett Keohokalole who offers the best combination of deep community ties and a nuanced understanding of issues drawn from his law background. And invasive-species specialist fellow at the University of Hawaii law school, he previously worked for a public defender and at an inner-city charter school in Brooklyn, N.Y. The community would benefit from his positions favoring restoration of traditional agriculture and aquaculture and his perspective advancing interests of working families.

» 50th District (Kailua-Kaneohe): Republican Cynthia Thielen has earned re-election in a district where her moderate pro-business stance and environmentalism serves her Windward community. Thielen is a veteran member of the minority caucus — she was first elected in 1990 — and has taken politically courageous stances that have raised her profile, her support for same-sex marriage legalization among the more controversial. She persevered through a primary challenge that arose from that fight and now faces Democrat Holly Broman, who chairs the district for her party and worked as a legislative aide in the 2014 session.

» 51st District (Kailua-Lanikai-Waimanalo): The marriage equality issue is also a flash point here, where Democrat Chris Lee faces Wayne Hikida, a semi-retired insurance executive. Lee was an outspoken advocate and his Republican opponent is equally outspoken against the 2013 vote, although Hikida said he has no agenda for overturning the law now. Hikida takes traditional GOP positions on the need to reduce government regulation and touts his business experience. Still, Lee has done a yeoman’s job of legislating and as chairman of the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection has penned legislation pushing for electric grid modernization and planning for climate change adaptation. He deserves to return to that job.