Rep. Adrian Tam has assumed the interim chair position of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, finishing Dennis Jung’s term after the party ousted him due to a lack of confidence following challenges in fundraising and filling party officer vacancies.
The State Central Committee, the party’s governing body, picked Tam on Dec. 3 out of four candidates. The three others were Jayson Watts, a former intern for the late Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink; Steven Pavao, a former Hawai‘i County chair; and Brian Evans of Maui County.
Tam said he doesn’t plan on running for chair next year but wants to bring enthusiasm back to the party. In addition, he said as chair, he filled committee leadership positions and has seen a boost in donations.
The chair’s core responsibilities are fundraising, advancing the party’s agenda at the state Legislature, and helping party candidates win elections.
As the election nears, the party must select a new chair by May 2024.
Tam said he commends anyone willing to step up to lead the party, whether progressive, moderate or conservative. He noted that the party is looking for someone with experience in fundraising and to be “a good representative."
”At the end of the day, you know, the primary duty of the chair has to be to be able to unify the party, be a good face for the party, and fundraise for the party so that we are strong,” he said.
“I want to be able to bring enthusiasm back to the party again. I will say under the previous chair, enthusiasm and morale have been low due to a lack of professionalism and a lack of fundraising efforts.”
The Democratic Party of Hawai‘i has about 84,000 members.
The party will pick a new chair after the 2024 Party Convention held on May 18-19. The chair will serve a two-year term.
