While lawmakers in Congress returned to the nation's capitol after the general election shifted power of both houses to the Democratic party, Hawaiʻi's leaders looked back on a time when Republicans held power and worked with a different touch.
Political party leaders from both sides of the aisle put their differences aside to pay respects to the late U.S. Representative Pat Saiki, who died on Sept. 30.
Speakers gathered to honor all she fought for and against, from discrimination against minorities and women to care for kūpuna and keiki.
Among those who paid homage to her years of public service was former Gov. Linda Lingle, a fellow Republican.
"Besides her many accomplishments, which included notably getting President Bush to stop the bombing of Kahoʻolawe, she should be remembered beyond all of those accomplishments for being a good and genuine person," Lingle said.
"Not many people are able to accomplish as much work in the field of politics and yet remain a really great, kind person, and Pat was all of those things."
Miriam Hellreich, former Republican Party of Hawaiʻi national committeewoman, praised Saiki for her ability to inspire and engage people from all walks of life.
"She led the way. She was always accessible. No elected official was ever as sincere as she was to help the individual," she said in her remarks.
Hellreich remembered Saiki as a woman who was as dedicated to "not just children but parents who were needing help" accessing medical care as she was "among the political celebrities."
Beyond her role as a public servicemember, Saiki is also remembered as the mother of five children. Her son, Stuart Saiki, shared about watching his mother become a giant on the political stage.
"Looking around this room, I realized just how many lives Mom touched, the friendships she built, and the people she encouraged and inspired," he said to the memorial attendants.
"She didn't get involved in politics for recognition or to build a career. She just saw things that needed fixing. … She understood that accomplishing something meaningful wasn't about doing it alone; it was about bringing people together, working with others toward a common goal."
Her public memorial service was held on Nov. 7 at Central Union Church in Honolulu.
This story aired on The Conversation on Nov. 9, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
