Mazie Hirono, the second woman of color elected to the U.S. Senate, frequently expresses gratitude for the mentoring and inspiration she received from Patsy Mink, the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House.
Hirono, now doing her part to support the next generation of leaders in Hawai`i, has endorsed state Sen. Jill Tokuda for Lieutenant Governor in advance of the Aug. 11 Democratic primary. Current Lt. Gov. Doug Chin is running for Congress, leaving the seat open.
Hirono posted her endorsement announcement on June 28:
I’ve known Jill for over 20 years – since she first came to work for me when I served as Lieutenant Governor. She is not afraid to take principled positions, even when the issues are difficult, and she does so with the highest regard for what’s best for the people of our state.
Fittingly, Tokuda also has received the backing of the Patsy T. Mink PAC, which supports pro-choice Democratic women running for office in Hawai`i.
Tokuda has labor support too:
The Hawaii Government Employees Association, the state’s largest union with approximately 42,000 members, today endorsed state Sen. Jill Tokuda for the lieutenant governor’s race. . .
“HGEA’s leadership recognized Jill’s commitment to working families and her support of HGEA values and priorities throughout her elected career,” HGEA executive director Randy Perreira said in a press release. “She’s always stood on the side of workers and we are confident that Jill will continue to fight for all who are finding it hard to maintain a quality standard of living.”
Tokuda called the endorsement “deeply personal,” noting that her mother was an HGEA member when she passed away.
Tokuda’s platform focuses on affordable housing, homelessness, government accountability and education. She’s also announced her support for a minimum wage that’s actually a living wage.
Tokuda has been a champion of paid family leave too:
“Having the assurance of paid family leave benefits Hawaii’s economy by giving caregivers stability during times when they need it most and ensures they can return back to the workforce when ready,” Sen. Jill Tokuda, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, said in a statement.
A working mom, Tokuda sometimes brings her kids to political events:
In addition to her policy bona fides, she has a (mostly) strong selfie game:
To follow this summertime primary campaign over its final 34 days (or to get involved), please check out JillTokuda.net.
Aloha and mahalo.