COURTESY A.L. JOHANSON
Aaron Ling
Johanson
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State Democrats on Friday will begin reviewing a request by state Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson to switch his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat.
Johanson, who last month announced he was switching parties over philosophical differences with some members of the state GOP, goes before the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party’s Oahu County Committee to present his case.
Party officials notified members of the meeting in an email Monday.
"Rep. Johanson will be able to speak about why he would like to become a Democrat," said Bixby Ho, Oahu County chairman. "We’ll have to try and keep it as fair as possible by allowing yeasayers versus the naysayers to have a back and forth."
Johanson, who was elected in November as a Republican to represent the Fort Shafter-Moanalua Gardens-Aliamanu district, did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.
Ho said much of the feedback he received Monday was positive for Johanson, but insiders said some members were upset that Johanson was able to keep his seat on the House Finance Committee, rather than having that seat go to a more senior Democrat.
Rules adopted by the party since the last lawmaker’s party switch in 2007 — when then-Republican Sen. Mike Gabbard joined the party — stipulate elected officials wishing to join the Democratic Party must first go before their county’s executive committee, which then makes a recommendation to the State Central Committee for further deliberation and action.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at a location to be determined.