In Hawaii, Kim Coco Iwamoto has made history by defeating long-serving incumbent Scott Saiki in the Democratic primary for her district. Iwamoto, a trans woman and former member of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission and Hawaii Board of Education, received 49.3% of the vote, narrowly surpassing Saiki's 44.6%. This victory made her the first trans person elected to the state legislature. After the results, Iwamoto said, “It feels great to have this experience, especially knowing that so many very powerful people endorsed him as well. So I wasn’t just campaigning against him. I was campaigning against the entire democratic establishment.” Iwamoto, who has a background as an attorney and educator, previously ran for office unsuccessfully, including a bid for lieutenant governor in 2018 and two previous challenges for Saiki’s seat. Her progressive platform includes support for the Green New Deal, increased public education funding, criminal justice reform, and affordable housing. She is also noted for her strong stance on LGBTQ rights. She believes that “every unaccompanied minor deserves a home, and that ALL foster homes, including group-homes, should be safe for LGBTIQ+ minors.” On the other hand, Saiki, who has been Speaker since 2017, has a record of supporting measures like a ban on conversion therapy and Title IX protections. #Trans Rights