Civil Beat has asked candidates for Hawaiʻi elections to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Rachele Lamosao, Democratic candidate for State Senate District 19 covering Pearl City, Waipahu, West Loch Estates, Honouliuli and Hoopili.

Her Democratic challenger in the Aug. 8 primary is Inam Rahman.

The winner of the primary will face Republican candidate Elijah Pierick in the general election.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job? And why do you want the job?

I believe I am the best candidate because I bring a proven record of service, strong community roots and a commitment to delivering results. As a lifelong resident and proud product of our public schools, I understand the challenges facing local families. My focus has always been to serve the community that raised me by being accessible, responsive and working hard to secure funding for essential services. I am committed to continuing that work and serving as a strong voice for our community.

What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

One of the biggest issues facing our district is the rising cost of living. To address this issue, I would focus on advancing policies that provide financial relief to working families and seniors, while continuing to advocate for affordable housing and investments in critical infrastructure.

Here’s one question from your constituents: Do you support maintaining a monopoly for interisland shipping?

I support reliable interisland shipping services that ensure goods and products can be transported efficiently and affordably throughout Hawaiʻi. Timely shipping is essential to keeping costs down, supporting local businesses and ensuring residents across all islands have access to the products they need.

What do you think were the most important bills to come out of the 2026 Legislature? What failed that should have passed? What passed that you wish had failed?

One of the most important measures passed this session was Act 24, which preserves enacted tax cuts for working families. I believe the caregiver tax credit should have passed this session, as it would have provided critical support for those who take time off from work to care for their loved ones. While Act 24 helps many families, I am concerned about provisions that phase out credits supporting local jobs. I remain committed to reviewing these impacts and advocating for our working families.

The 2026 session was also overshadowed by an issue of public trust: $35,000 in the brown paper bag given to an “influential” state lawmaker. What do you think the Legislature needs to do going forward to rebuild public confidence in state government?

To rebuild public trust, we need to be more transparent and improve how we communicate how and when projects are implemented after they are appropriated by the Legislature. This could include creating a public dashboard that clearly shows project timelines, awarded contractors and the status of funded projects.

In recent years, Hawai’i has experienced a series of damaging and dangerous weather events that have exposed weaknesses in our planning, preparation and response. What could you as a lawmaker do to help your district be better prepared?

One important way we can better prepare our community is by updating and strengthening our community plans to respond to damaging and dangerous events. This includes improving coordination and access to agencies that manage large land areas in and adjacent to our district, so that we can respond more effectively and build greater resilience.

What would you do in office to address the here and now of climate change? And how would you address the costs to taxpayers, property owners and businesses to adapt?

This past session, I worked to secure funding to support structural hardening for families, especially kūpuna living in older homes that may not be able to withstand severe storm events. While this was an important one-time investment, I believe we should look at expanding and sustaining this program over multiple years so that more families can benefit and we can better prepare our communities for future disasters.

Over 3,000 bills are introduced every session and there is always frantic horsetrading in the final days of session. Do you think there should be a limit on the number of bills introduced to enable more meaningful debate?

I believe that working closely with community stakeholders to identify priority bills and developing legislation during the interim session can help foster more informed and meaningful debate. This collaborative approach ensures that proposals are vetted and better reflect the needs of the community before they are introduced.

Hawaiʻi lawmakers are often in the dark about how much a piece of legislation will cost because the Aloha State is the only one in the nation that doesn’t require a fiscal analysis for bills. Should lawmakers be forced to put a realistic price tag on the legislation they introduce?

We need to carefully consider all factors that contribute to the cost of projects. Utilizing the interim period to collaborate with departments can also help ensure more accurate and realistic cost estimates when drafting legislation.

There are no term limits for state legislators in Hawaiʻi, so incumbents tend to win. Would you seek to change that? Why or why not?

Elections give voters the opportunity every two to four years to choose their legislators. If an incumbent is not meeting the needs of their community, voters have the power to make a change.

What would you do to help improve the state’s public school system?

Many of our public schools are aging and in need of renovation to ensure the health and safety of students and staff. It is important that we continue to hold the Department of Education accountable for maintaining and improving school facilities and providing clean, safe learning environments for all.

Hawaiʻi is heavily reliant on tourism. What would you propose to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy?

One way to help diversify our economy is to tap into our agricultural industry. Hawaiʻi-grown products are unique and well-desired all across the world. We need to capitalize on that demand by working alongside local farmers to expand exports of their products worldwide to bring in additional revenue to our state.

An estimated 60% of Hawaiʻi residents are struggling to get by. It’s a problem that reaches far beyond low-income folks and into the middle class, which is disappearing. What would you do to help?

I empathize with many families who have to wake up every day and try to balance work and family life with the high cost of living. It is not an easy balance. One way the legislature can make that balance easier is to pass paid family leave. Paid family leave will allow many parents like me not to be in the unfortunate position of choosing to spend time with their children or go to work to make ends meet.