Who is Nadine Nakamura? Hawaii Rep. to be the first woman speaker of the state house
Nadine Nakamura, a 62-year-old Democrat from Kauai, is poised to make history as the first woman to lead the Hawaii House of Representatives. Her appointment comes following the shocking primary loss of former Speaker Scott Saiki.
Nakamura, previously the state house majority leader, will officially step into the role in January, backed by strong support from Democratic colleagues who maintain a dominant majority, holding 43 out of 51 House seats.
“There are a lot of female legislators who have really set the foundation for my becoming the speaker,” Nakamura told Honolulu Civil Beat, acknowledging trailblazers like U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink, and former state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa.
Nakamura’s priorities include tackling the Aloha State's high cost of housing, managing wildfire-related lawsuits, and addressing rising insurance costs. She is also open to exploring rule changes aimed at enhancing legislative transparency.
“I think we definitely want to be collaborative, listen to different opinions, and at the end of the day, it’s the will of the body,” Nakamura told reporters last week. “How they want to vote on legislation. What are their priorities and what’s really going to make a difference for working people in Hawaii.”
New faces round out leadership positions
As a result of Nakamura's promotion, new leadership roles are emerging in the Hawaii House. State Rep. Sean Quinlan is expected to take over as House majority leader, and Rep. Linda Ichiyama will likely step in as vice speaker.
“Our team reflects the values of working families and the experiences of many in our community,” Nakamura said in a press release. “Representatives Ichiyama, Quinlan, and Todd, as parents of young children, understand firsthand the importance of championing policies that support local families—such as childcare, healthcare access, and work-life balance. Representative Morikawa, a seasoned member, continues to guide us with her institutional knowledge."
In the state Senate, Democrats will continue under Senate President Ronald Kouchi of Kauai, while Oahu North Shore Sen. Brenton Awa will serve as minority leader for the Republicans.
For the past two years, the two Republicans in the state Senate—Awa and Sen. Kurt Favella of Leeward Oahu—struggled to select a leader. But with the election of Republican Samantha Decorte, Republicans will now hold three seats in the 25-member chamber.
Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the Paste BN Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow