Bob McDermott
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
from the 40th district
In office
November 6, 2012 – November 8, 2022
Preceded bySharon Har
Succeeded byRose Martinez
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
from the 32nd district
In office
November 5, 1996 – November 5, 2002
Preceded byRobert Bunda
Succeeded byLynn Finnegan
Personal details
Born
Robert Charles McDermott

(1963-08-05) August 5, 1963 (age 60)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationChaminade University (BA, MBA)

Robert Charles McDermott (born August 5, 1963)[1] is an American politician and a Republican member of the Hawaii House of Representatives since November 6, 2012, representing District 40 (ʻEwa, ʻEwa Beach, ʻEwa Gentry, Iroquois Point).

McDermott previously served three terms in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1996 until 2002, but left to run unsuccessfully for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Hawaii and ran against incumbent Senator Brian Schatz in the November 2022 general election, in which he lost.[2]

Education

McDermott is a 1981 graduate of Upper Perkiomen High School in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania. He earned his BA in economics and his MBA from Chaminade University of Honolulu.

Political views

McDermott made headlines in 2013 for his vocal opposition to same-sex marriage. It ultimately became law, and Bob McDermott turned his focus on Pono Choices, a sex education program in Hawaii.[3] On January 8, 2014, McDermott held a press conference in opposition to Pono Choices in which he gave a presentation on oral sex, vaginal sex, and anal sex, in contrast with what he said the program teaches.[4]

In July 2022, McDermott said he was the first elected official to call for closure of the U.S. military's Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility, which he identified as the biggest issue facing Hawaii. He has criticized Hawaii's congressional delegation for slowness to take action, saying he would have done so safely within a year and a half.[5]

2018 gubernatorial run

McDermott announced his intent to run for Governor of Hawaii in the 2018 election on May 12, 2017.[6] He withdrew his candidacy in August 2017.[7]

Controversies

On March 14, 2016, during a debate over the state budget, McDermott yelled profanities at fellow Republicans for not volunteering time to him as he was at the limit of his allotted time. McDermott told his colleagues to "start acting like (expletive) Republicans" and "do your (expletive) job."[8]

McDermott made headlines again in March 2017 after voting Beth Fukumoto out of her position as House Minority Leader, saying that her criticisms of Donald Trump and attendance at the Women's March were only to gain publicity for herself.[9] Fukumoto then left the Republican party, citing racism and sexism within the party as her reasons for leaving.[10][11]

Elections

References

  1. ^ "Bob McDermott's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  2. ^ Scott, Hanna Kang, Bartie. "Results: Democratic incumbent Sen. Brian Schatz defeats Republican state Rep. Bob McDermott in Hawaii's US Senate election". Business Insider. Retrieved November 12, 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "The Changing Face Of Sex Education In Hawaii's Public Schools". Honolulu Civil Beat. April 8, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Blair, Chad (January 9, 2014). "Rep. Bob McDermott's Gay Sex Problem". Honolulu Civil Beat. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  5. ^ "Candidate Q&A: U.S. Senate – Bob McDermott". Honolulu Civil Beat. July 4, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  6. ^ Nagaoka, Ashley (May 12, 2017). "McDermott touts leadership, officialy [sic] enters 2018 race for governor". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  7. ^ "Rep. McDermott withdraws from governor's race". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 29, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  8. ^ Dayton, Kevin (March 15, 2016). "Lawmaker lobs profanities at fellow Republicans". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  9. ^ "The Republican Party is dying in Hawaii". The Outline. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  10. ^ "Blaming Racism and Sexism, Hawaii Lawmaker Leaves Republican Party". www.governing.com. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  11. ^ "Hawaii's House Republican Leader Says She Was Ousted Over Women's March". NPR.org. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "Primary Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide September 21, 1996". Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 5. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  13. ^ "General Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 5, 1996". Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 3. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  14. ^ "Open Primary 98 – State of Hawaii – Hawaii Statewide September 19, 1998". Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 4. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  15. ^ "General – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 3, 1998". Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 2. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  16. ^ "Open Primary 2000 – State of Hawaii – Statewide September 23, 2000". Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 4. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  17. ^ "General Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 7, 2000". Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 2. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  18. ^ "Open Primary Election 2002 – State of Hawaii – Statewide September 21, 2002" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 4. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  19. ^ "Special Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide January 4, 2003" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  20. ^ "Primary Election 2012 – State of Hawaii – Statewide August 11, 2012" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 4. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  21. ^ "Hawaii General 2012 – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 6, 2012" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 2. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  22. ^ "General Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 4, 2014" (PDF). Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 2. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  23. ^ "General Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 8, 2016" (PDF). Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 2. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  24. ^ "General Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 6, 2018" (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Office of Elections. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  25. ^ "General Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide November 3, 2020" (PDF). Hawaii Office of Elections. p. 2. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  26. ^ "Primary Election – State of Hawaii – Statewide August 13, 2022" (PDF). Hawaii Office of Elections. Retrieved August 19, 2022.

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Party political offices Preceded byJohn Carroll Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Hawaii(Class 3) 2022 Most recent
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