Beth Fukumoto served three terms in the Hawaii House of Representatives where she was recognized as one of Washington Post’s “40 under 40″ rising political stars, Business Insider’s “8 of the most influential millennial women in US politics,” and Apolitical’s “100 Future Leaders: The World’s Most Influential Young People in Government.” She was the youngest woman in the U.S. to lead a major party in a legislature, the first elected Republican to switch parties after Trump’s election, and a Democratic congressional candidate. Currently, she works as a political commentator and teaches leadership and ethics at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Women in Hawaii keep up pretty well with men until they have children or take on the responsibility of caring for relatives.
While our budget isn’t as tight now as it was in previous years, we have limited resources and a lot of priorities.
Hawaii is the only state that doesn't require a fiscal analysis of a bill before lawmakers vote on it.
Hawaii Congressman Ed Case is one of the few looking for a way to compromise with Republicans.
It forces the truth and makes us put our priorities on paper.
Ranked choice voting, more accurate voter rolls and public financing of campaigns are easily doable this session if the political will is there.
It’s hard to encourage cooperation across the aisle when you’re championing many of the same issues that are tearing the country apart.
Bills attached to specific interest groups often stand a higher chance of advancing because of their collective power.
Captivating speeches should compel the audience to do something about a collective problem or continue acting on a successful solution.