Kauaʻiʻs Nadine Nakamura becomes first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives

Hawaiʻi State Rep. Nadine Nakamura from Kauaʻi assumed the role of Speaker of the House on Nov. 6, making her the first woman to hold the leadership position in the state.

“I’m deeply honored by the support of my House colleagues to lead the State House of Representatives. I’m committed to ensuring a smooth transition as we prepare for the 33^rd Legislative Session,” Nakamura said in a statement on Nov. 7, the day the announcement was made to the public.

 “Our new leadership team is excited to step up and start working now to address the pressing needs of our state.”

Nakamura, who served as House Majority Leader for the past two years, replaces former speaker Scott Saiki, who lost his bid for re-election in the Democratic primary to Kim Coco Iwamato.

Saiki had been speaker since 2017 and has served in the state House since 1994. 

Kauaʻi Rep. Luke Evslin (D-District 16) explained that when Saiki lost the primary in August, a petition was started and Nakamura received majority support.

“When Speaker Saiki lost, which was a big surprise and shock, and it was clear that we were not going to have a speaker before the session began … Nadine arose as the consensus candidate among a majority of members of the House,” Evslin said.

Although Nakamura received majority support from among 51 members in a petition, there will be an official vote once the legislative session begins on Jan. 15, 2025. But the petition with signatures has enough power to make her the speaker now.

Evslin was excited for Kauaʻi and Nakamura, saying: “There can often be an Oʻahu-centric atmosphere” in the state House, so Nakamura will “help give the Neighbor Islands a voice.”

“Itʻs a testament to her hard work and the amount of respect that people in the building have for her,” he said Thursday afternoon.

Nakamura received strong support from other Kauaʻi politicians following the Thursday announcement.

Kauaʻi Rep. Dee Morikawa (D-District 17), who is also Majority Floor Leader, says the appointment of Nakamura marks a “new way of leadership” and “a new way forward for the House of Representatives.” 

She praised Nakamura, calling her a great planner and mediator, with the ability to bring people together in decision making. 

“She proved herself to be a very efficient majority leader,” Morikawa said. “She gained a lot of trust and people kind of just lined up behind her and supported her in this leadership role.” 

Morikawa also pointed out that Kauaʻi will be the first island to have both the Senate President (Ron Kouchi) and the Speaker at the same time.

“I think thatʻs unheard of,” she said. Gary Hooser, a former Hawaiʻi Senator and Kauaʻi County Council member, also described Nakamura becoming speaker as positive for the Garden Isle with her proposals, bills and funding requests likely to receive special attention because “people will want to stay in her good graces.”

“As speaker of the house, she will be in an extraordinary position to manage and guide legislation,” he said. “Her voice and her position grows significantly, and with that growth, the voice and position of the district grows with it.”

Nakamura was first elected to the State House in 2016. Prior to serving as House Majority Leader, she was Chair of the House Committee on Housing. Prior to that, she was Managing Director for the County of Kauaʻi from 2013 to 2016 under former mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. She also served as a member of the Kauaʻi County Council from 2010 to 2013.