State Senate President Donna Mercado Kim will preside over a new leadership coalition in the Senate that includes a new vice president and majority leader and changes to the influential Senate Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor committees.
Senate Democrats met privately Wednesday to reorganize after Tuesday’s election results.
Sen. Will Espero (D, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) was chosen vice president, replacing Sen. Ron Kouchi (D, Kauai-Niihau). Sen. J. Kalani English (D, Molokai-Lanai-Upcountry Maui-Hana) was selected majority leader, replacing Sen. Brickwood Galuteria (D, Kakaako-McCully-Waikiki).
Sen. Jill Tokuda (D, Kailua-Kaneohe) will take over the Senate Ways and Means Committee from David Ige, who was elected governor Tuesday. Sen. Gilbert Keith Agaran (D, Waihee-Wailuku-Kahului) will take over the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee from Clayton Hee, who lost in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.
Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Moanalua-Halawa), who lost in the Democratic primary for Congress, was not certain to keep power. But sources say she forged a majority of the chamber’s 24 Democrats by picking up Ige’s former "Chess Club" faction and a cadre led by Tokuda.
"I appreciate the confidence the members have in my leadership and I am pleased that we were able to organize so quickly," Kim said in a statement. "This is a strong leadership team that will waste no time in preparing for the upcoming legislative session."
In a potentially significant change, two senators who are known as strong environmental advocates will move into positions of power. Sen. Laura Thielen (D, Hawaii Kai-Waimanalo-Kailua) will lead the Senate Water and Land Committee, replacing former Sen. Malama Solomon, who lost in the Democratic primary. And Sen. Russell Ruderman (D, Puna) will take over the Senate Agriculture Committee from Sen. Clarence Nishihara (D, Waipahu-Pearl City), who had fought against labeling genetically modified food.
House Democrats are scheduled to meet Thursday in private caucus and are expected to announce that House Speaker Joseph Souki (D, Waihee-Waiehu-Wailuku) and his allies have retained power.
