Bob McDermott

For the basketball player, see Bobby McDermott.

Robert Charles McDermott (born August 5, 1963)^[1] is an American politician and Republican former member of the Hawaii House of Representatives who served from 1996 to 2002 and 2012 to 2022.

Bob McDermott
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
In office November 6, 2012 – November 8, 2022
Preceded by	Redistricted
Succeeded by	Rose Martinez
Constituency	40th district
In office November 5, 1996 – November 5, 2002
Preceded by	Robert Bunda
Succeeded by	Lynn Finnegan
Constituency	32nd district
Personal details
Born	Robert Charles McDermott (1963-08-05) August 5, 1963 (age 61) Lansdale, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	Chaminade University (BA, MBA)

McDermott initially 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 returned to the Hawaii House of Representatives in 2012 before leaving state office in 2022 to run as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Hawaii, losing to incumbent Democratic Senator Brian Schatz in the November 2022 general election.^[2] McDermott is the Republican nominee for the 2024 U.S. Senate election in Hawaii, in which he will face incumbent Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono.

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 in Hawaii, 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

See also: 2022 United States Senate election in Hawaii and 2024 United States Senate election in Hawaii

• 1996 – When Democratic Representative Robert Bunda ran for Hawaii Senate and left the House District 32 seat open, McDermott was unopposed for the September 21, 1996, Republican Primary, winning with 304 votes,^[12] and won the November 5, 1996, general election with 2,483 votes (53.5%) against Democratic nominee Leonard Pepper.^[13]
• 1998 – McDermott was unopposed for the September 19, 1998, Republican Primary, winning with 304 votes,^[14] and won the November 3, 1998, general election with 2,796 votes (54.9%) against Democratic nominee Wilfred Tangonan.^[15]
• 2000 – McDermott was unopposed for the September 23, 2000, Republican Primary, winning with 785 votes,^[16] and won the November 7, 2000, general election with 2,686 votes (56.4%) against Democratic nominee Eddie Aguinaldo.^[17]
• 2002 – Expecting to challenge incumbent Democratic United States Representative Patsy Mink for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district seat, McDermott won the September 21, 2002, Republican Primary with 20,180 votes (49.5%);^[18] Mink had been hospitalized after announcing her re-election candidacy, and died the week after the primary, but too late to be replaced on the general election ballot; she was elected posthumously in the four-way November 5, 2002 General election. McDermott did not run in the November 30, 2002, Special election to succeed her in the interim, as an election to fill the remainder of her term was scheduled for January 4, 2003.
• 2003 – McDermott ran in the 91-candidate Special election on January 4 to succeed Congresswoman Mink, but lost to Ed Case,^[19] who had won the interim special election, and held the seat until 2007.
• 2012 – With Democratic Representative Sharon Har redistricted to District 42, McDermott was unopposed in District 40's August 11, 2012, Republican Primary, winning with 754 votes.^[20] He won the November 6, 2012, general election with 3,249 votes (48.8%) against Democratic nominee Chris Manabat,^[21] who had won the six-way Democratic Primary in a field which included former Representative Romy Mindo.
• 2014 – McDermott beat Democratic candidate Rose Martinez, 60.0% to 36.4%.^[22]
• 2016 – McDermott won against Democratic candidate Rose Martinez, 54.6% to 38.5%.^[23]
• 2018 – McDermott defeated Democratic candidate Rose Martinez, 53.4% to 42.3%.^[24]
• 2020 – McDermott beat Democratic candidate Rose Martinez, 55.7% to 40.4%.^[25]
• 2022 – McDermott won the 5-way Republican primary for U.S. Senator from Hawaii with 25,557 votes (31.9%). He faced incumbent Senator Brian Schatz in the November general election and lost the election by a 45% margin. Democratic candidate Rose Martinez won McDermott's former seat, 49.5% to 46.4%, against Republican Janie Gueso.^[26]
• 2024 – McDermott won the 6-way Republican primary for U.S. Senator from Hawaii with 27,961 votes (44.9%). He will face incumbent senator Mazie Hirono in the November general election.^[27]

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, official [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. March 24, 2017. 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.
27. "Primary Election August 10, 2024 Statewide Summary" (PDF). State of Hawaii – Office of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2024.

External links

• Official page at the Hawaii State Legislature
• Campaign site
• Profile at Vote Smart

Party political offices
Preceded by John Carroll	Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Hawaii (Class 3) 2022	Most recent
Preceded by Ron Curtis	Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Hawaii (Class 1) 2024