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State Representative Beth Fukumoto Resigns From GOP

Wayne Yoshioka

State Representative Beth Fukumoto announced today she is resigning from the Republican Party following two months of input from her Mililani constituents.   She says her troubles with the Hawai’i GOP started a while ago but came to a head when Donald Trump won the Presidency.

“The things that have given rise to President Trump; that have allowed him to win the Republican nomination having said some of the things he said about women and minorities and people with disabilities – those are things that reflect on the party more than on just him.  It says that we weren’t willing to stand up to it.  You’re an average person voting for President Trump; I don’t think they thought through all of this but the Republican Establishment knew what was happening.  They knew what was wrong.  And instead of trying to speak out against what he was doing, they picked political power and winning over what I believe was the right thing to do.”

TAG:  Fukumoto served 8 years as a GOP member, the last 5 as a Representative in the state House.  She plans to submit an application to join the Democratic Party of Hawai’i.

Wayne Yoshioka
Wayne Yoshioka is an award-winning journalist who has worked in television, print and radio in Hawaiʻi. He also has been on both sides of politics as a state departmental appointee and political/government reporter. He covered Hurricane Iwa (1982) as a TV reporter; was the State Department of Defense/Civil Defense spokesperson for Hurricane Iniki (1992); and, commanded a public affairs detachment in Afghanistan (2006). He has a master's degree in Communication from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is a decorated combat veteran (Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and 22 other commendation/service medals). He resides in Honolulu.
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