Veteran Hawaii journalist Kevin Dayton will be returning to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser as state Capitol bureau chief.

Dayton left the newspaper in 2012 after expanding its coverage of transportation issues — investigating the handling of Honolulu’s multi-billion dollar rail transit project, delving into questions over its management and uncovering details in its financial plan.

His return on Monday will bring Dayton back to his extensive roots in government and political reporting in Hawaii.

"We are extremely pleased that Kevin will rejoin the Star-Advertiser," said Frank Bridgewater, Star-Advertiser editor. "His background, expertise and persistence in covering issues will enhance our government reporting and provide unparalleled coverage for readers."

Dayton was Capitol bureau chief at The Honolulu Advertiser from 1999 to 2002, leading a team of four reporters. He arrived at The Advertiser in 1989 and moved to Capitol bureau reporting in 1990.

Dayton’s coverage of government and politics had a level of analysis and context that few competitors could match. After Linda Lingle became Hawaii’s first Republican governor in 40 years, it was Dayton who detailed how her team took lessons learned in her narrow 1998 loss to Ben Cayetano and built an organization and a database, knocked on doors and dialed voters to roll to victory in 2002.

Dayton is not only an award-winning journalist in government and political news. His most prestigious accolades were for a story he wrote as The Advertiser’s Hawaii island bureau chief. He earned the Dart Award for excellence in coverage of trauma and the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism for "Daysha’s Diary," a compelling exploration of domestic violence in Hawaii.

He previously worked at the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, the Associated Press, the Tucson Citizen and the Arizona Daily Star. He holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Hawaii and an undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona.

He served in the Army from 1985 to 1987 and was also an Army Ranger.

He returns to the Star-Advertiser after serving as executive director to Hawaii island Mayor Billy Kenoi, responsible for special projects, media relations and legislative affairs.