State House Speaker Joseph Souki will keep power in the House with expanded support from fellow Democrats.
House Democrats, meeting privately in caucus Thursday, backed the veteran Maui lawmaker by acclamation. Vice Speaker John Mizuno (D, Kamehameha Heights-Kalihi Valley) will also retain his post.
"And that has been my goal from the beginning," said Souki (D, Waihee-Waiehu-Wailuku), who ousted Rep. Calvin Say (D, Palolo-St. Louis Heights-Kaimuki) as speaker last year with a coalition of dissident Democrats and minority Republicans.
Souki told reporters that the House would likely release a roster of committee assignments next week. He confirmed, however, that Rep. Sylvia Luke (D, Punchbowl-Pauoa-Nuuanu) would continue as chairwoman of the Finance Committee.
Sources say Majority Leader Scott Saiki (D, Downtown-Kakaako-McCully) will also keep his post, as will Rep. Karl Rhoads (D, Chinatown-Iwilei-Kalihi), chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Souki said it would be difficult to continue to give Republicans three committee vice chairmanships, including the vice chairmanship of the House Finance Committee, now that more Democrats are united behind him. Republicans also held vice chairmanships of the House Economic Development and Business Affairs Committee and the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee.
Souki said leaders would try to continue to have a relationship with Republicans, "to what degree I don’t know, but treat them fairly."
House Minority Leader Aaron Ling Johanson (R, Fort Shafter-Moanalua Gardens-Aliamanu) has secured the votes to remain Republican leader, sources say.
Some in Souki’s leadership circle have said that the speaker, 81, had suggested he would serve in the top post for only two terms, or four years. It was Say’s refusal to step aside after setting a timetable that triggered an internal leadership fight among House Democrats that lasted for several years.
But Souki told reporters that he made no such commitment. "Somebody might be saying that for me," he said. "Wishful thinking. I have not discounted running or not running.
"At this point I’m looking at this two years, and then we’ll see what happens in the future."
