2019 Hawaiian General Election
Beginning in 1902, the Kingdom of Hawaii existed as a protectorate of the Japanese Empire until the kingdom was released by in the Japanese Empire in 1975. Since becoming fully independent the Kingdom of Hawaii has become the most successful of all of Japan's former colonies, it being one of the richest countries per capita in the region. Hawaii is a part of the West Pacific Union like all of the former Japanese colonies and has benefited the most of the arrangement. Hawaii has one of the most successful tourism sectors in the world and is a top choice for Japanese and American vacationers. Hawaii currently has a population of 1,120,528 with 42.7% being Asian, 17.1% being White, 15.8% being Native Hawaiian, 22.3% being 2 or more races, and 2.1% being another race.
In 2019, the incumbent government comprised of the center-left, Alliance for Hawaii and the centrist Reform Party lost their majority in the Hawaiian House of Representatives. The Alliance and their leader Prime Minister Mazie Hirono remained the largest party in the House of Representatives for the 4th consecutive time since the party and Hirono won the 2010 Elections. However the Alliance and the Reform Party led by Ed Case lost enough seats to be unable to form a government between the two. Reform, a party disproportionately popular with the white citizens of the islands, would lose both of their electorate seats with Case himself losing his seat of Northeast Shore. Reform is now completely reliant on list seats and only barely cleared the entrance threshold of 5% to get any seats.
The center-right Democratic Party led by Duke Aiona would gain 5 seats, but the disappointing showing would cause Aiona to announce he would be stepping down as leader of the party shortly after the election. United!, a left-wing party that strongly targets native Hawaiians, and their leader Kaniela Ing would gain 5 seats as well, their best ever showing since their creation in 1998. The Hawaiian Independence Party, a populist party that combines conservative social positions with center-left economic positions, led by Mike Gabbard would also gain seats in the House of Representatives. Both United and the Independence Party support turning Hawaii into a federation of all the populated islands rather than the current unitary system. United and the Independence Party also are both dissatisfied with the West Pacific Union, but only the Independence Party calls for Hawaii to completely leave while United only supports a limited increase to Hawaii's autonomy. All the other parties more or less support Hawaii's current position in the Union.
After the election, Alliance, not being able to reform their coalition with Reform, would join with United to form a broad left government with Hirono remaining as Prime Minister. This is the first time that United as been a member of the government.
Oof is Tulsi Gabbard an MP in this timeline?