Kim Coco Iwamoto

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Iwamoto announced her bid for Lieutenant Governor in November 2017. [14] She was endorsed by the Sierra Club of Hawaii, [15] Victory Fund, [16] Maui Time Weekly , [17] Our Revolution Oʻahu Chapter, [18] Unite Here! Local 5, [19] politician Gary Hooser, [20] activist Mari Matsuda, [21] and advocate and teacher Maya Soetoro-Ng, [21] among others. She came in fourth place, losing the nomination to Senator Josh Green. [22]

Hawaii House of Representatives

In 2020, Iwamoto ran unsuccessfully against incumbent House speaker Scott Saiki in the Democratic primary for the 26th State House district. She contested him again in 2022 for the 25th district, losing in both primaries by around 200 votes.

In 2024, Iwamoto won the 2024 primary against Saiki. Iwamoto was unchallenged in the general election and was elected to represent the 25th district. [23] [24] Upon taking office, she will become the first openly transgender state legislator in Hawaii history. [2]

Electoral history

2024

Kim Coco Iwamoto
Kim Coco Iwamoto.jpg
Member of the HawaiiHouseofRepresentatives
from the 25 district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 15, 2025
Hawaii's 25th House District Democratic primary election, 2024
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Kim Coco Iwamoto 2,649 52.52%
Democratic Scott Saiki (incumbent)2,39547.48%
Total votes5,044 100%

2022

Hawaii's 25th House District Democratic primary election, 2022
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Scott Saiki (incumbent) 2,680 51.55%
Democratic Kim Coco Iwamoto2,51948.45%
Total votes5,199 100%

2020

Hawaii's 26th District House of Representatives election, 2020
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Scott Saiki (incumbent) 3,393 51.3
Democratic Kim Coco Iwamoto3,22648.7
Total votes6,619 100

2018

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii election, 2018 [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Josh Green 74,845 31.4
Democratic Jill Tokuda 68,12428.6
Democratic Bernard Carvalho 45,82519.2
Democratic Kim Coco Iwamoto34,24314.3
Democratic Will Espero 15,4636.5
Total votes238,500 100.0

2016

2016 Hawaii's 13th Senate District Democratic Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Karl Rhoads 3,606 41.8%
Democratic Kim Coco Iwamoto2,53029.4%
Democratic Keone Nakoa1,86521.6%
N/A Blank Votes6127.1%
N/A Over Votes70.1%
Total votes8,620 100.0%

Notable national advocacy and recognition

Iwamoto was recognized as a Champion of Change by President Barack Obama. [4]

Iwamoto publicly opposed passage of California's Proposition 8, outlawing same-sex marriages in California. She has stated that Proposition 8 reminds her of her mother's internment during World War II and believes the proposition is a violation of essential civil rights, stating, "The country has acknowledged that [internment] as a mistake, to just go with populous fear to oppress a specific group. I think we're going to look back at this kind of oppression as a mistake." [26]

In 2021, Iwamoto joined with local advocates known as the Wai Ola alliance as a plaintiff in a suit against the United States Navy to stop its plan to double line its underground fuel tanks at Red Hill. [27]

In September 2024, Iwamoto and nine others were arrested and cited for alleged obstruction at a protest at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children during a management lockout of unionized nurses. [6] The charges were later dismissed. [7]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ No Republican candidate contested her seat.

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References

  1. ↑ "ABOUT KIM COCO". 2010. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Prager, Sarah (November 8, 2024). "LGBTQ candidates saw big election wins, with several historic victories". NBC News . Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Kim Coco Iwamoto for Lt. Governor".
  4. 1 2 "The White House President Barack Obama, Champions of Change".
  5. ↑ "LGBT Pride Month 2018: 50 Gay Rights Movement Pioneers You Need to Know". Newsweek . June 9, 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Nurse Labor Dispute At Hawaii Hospital Escalates With 10 Arrests". Honolulu Civil Beat. Associated Press. September 24, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Staff, Star-Advertiser (October 22, 2024). "Charges dismissed against 10 arrested during Kapi'olani hospital protest". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Meet Kim Coco".
  9. ↑ "With Kim Coco Iwamoto, Hawaii Could Make Trans History". www.advocate.com. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Experience - Kim Coco Iwamoto".
  11. ↑ Nakaso, Dan (June 2, 2024). "Established Hawaii business groups question fledgling chamber". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Hawaiian Becomes Highest-Elected Transgender Official". Fox News. Associated Press. November 16, 2006. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ↑ "Hawaii Office of Elections: 2010 general election results" (PDF).
  14. ↑ "Kim Coco Iwamoto announces bid for Lieutenant Governor". Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Home". Vote Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Victory Fund Endorses 37 More LGBTQ Candidates for 2018".
  17. ↑ "Maui Time Endorses Kim Coco". Maui Time. August 2, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Our Revolution Oʻahu Chapter". Facebook .
  19. ↑ "Game Changer in Race for Lieutenant Governor - Kim Coco Endorsed by Local 5". Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Why Gary Hooser is Supporting Kim Coco Iwawmoto". June 7, 2018.
  21. 1 2 "Testimonials, Kim Coco". Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Hawaii Office of Elections Results".
  23. ↑ H. N. N. Staff (August 11, 2024). "In contentious District 25 race, Kim Coco Iwamoto unseats House Speaker Scott Saiki". www.hawaiinewsnow.com. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  24. ↑ Nakaso, Dan (August 11, 2024). "Kim Coco Iwamoto upsets House Speaker Scott Saiki in Primary Election". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Primary Election 2018 -State of Hawaii – Statewide" (PDF). Hawaii Office of Elections. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
  26. ↑ Park, Gene (November 16, 2008), Islanders protest gay-marriage ban, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, archived from the original on November 23, 2008, retrieved September 28, 2006
  27. ↑ "Citizen Group Announces Intention To Sue Navy Over Red Hill Tanks". Honolulu Civil Beat. November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
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