Hawaii Democrats Accept GOP Lawmaker Into Party
Aaron Ling Johanson, the former House minority leader, is now officially a member of the majority at the Legislature.
The Executive Committee of the Oahu County Democratic Party voted unanimously Friday to accept Hawaii state Rep.聽Aaron Ling Johanson’s application as a Democrat.
“We applaud the legislators along with party members who provided written and oral testimony and most importantly very intriguing questions to Representative Johanson,” the Oahu County Democratic Party posted .
Oahu County Chairman Bixby Ho confirmed the news Saturday.
Flanked by House and Senate leaders, state Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson announces that he is leaving the Republican Party to join the majority Democrats.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Johanson, seen as a rising young star in the Hawaii Republican Party, shocked his colleagues聽last month by announcing his switch to the other side.
The minority leader at the time, Johanson explained that he wanted to seek common ground on issues rather than toe an ideological聽line.
Johanson’s defection reduces GOP numbers in the House of Representatives to seven, the same number they had last session. Democrats now number 44.
The 25-member Senate has a single GOP member.
