Matthew LoPresti

Matthew S. LoPresti is an American politician who served as a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives for District 41 (Ewa, Ewa Beach, Ewa Gentry, Ewa Villages, Hoakalei, Ocean Pointe). He previously served from January 2015 to January 2019.^[1] He was a candidate for state Senate 19th district in 2018.^[2]

Matthew LoPresti
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 41st district
In office 2020–2022
Preceded by	Rida Cabanilla
Succeeded by	David Alcos
In office 2014–2018
Preceded by	Rida Cabanilla
Succeeded by	Rida Cabanilla
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Toledo (BA, BA, MA) University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (PhD)
Website	Legislature bio

In January 2021, LoPresti helped found the bicameral Progressive Legislative Caucus and served as its chair.^[3]

He was defeated in the 2022 elections by Republican David Alcos.

Education

LoPresti earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, Bachelor of Arts in history, and Master of Arts in philosophy from the University of Toledo, followed by a PhD in philosophy from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.^[4]

Career

LoPresti is an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Hawai‘i Pacific University. He has taught in various capacities at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Chaminade University, Kapiolani Community College, West Virginia University, University of Toledo, and Antioch College's Buddhist Studies Program in London, England and Bodhgaya, India. In 2020, he was invited to Jinan, China to present a speech to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences entitled "Nurturing an Ecological Economy: a role for traditional Hawaiian and Chinese values."^[5]

LoPresti was elected to consecutive two-year terms on the executive committee of the Sierra Club's Oahu Group, where he served as Vice Chair.^[6] He was also elected to a two-year term on the ‘Ewa Neighborhood Board in 2011.

During the 2018 elections, LoPresti gained notice for a video recording depicting his tampering with an opponent's campaign flyer, for which he later apologized.^[7] He previously denied taking down an opponent's political signs in the 2016 elections.^[8]

In 2022, LoPresti served as Chair of the House Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts. He was also a member of the O'ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Personal life

LoPresti was arrested for driving under the influence on 17 June 2022, by troopers near Ewa Beach. The charges were dismissed later that year,^[9] though prosecutors filed for an extension and in November a hearing was set for reconsideration of the dismissal.^[10][11]