Ex-Republican Trump critic to run for Congress from Hawaii

HONOLULU — A Hawaii lawmaker who left the Republican Party last year after criticizing President Donald Trump says she will run for Congress.

State Rep. Beth Fukumoto is launching her campaign to represent Honolulu in the U.S. House on Thursday.

Fukumoto joined the Democratic Party after leaving the Republicans. She plans to run for Congress as a Democrat. Her competition includes one other state representative, a state senator, a city councilman and the lieutenant governor.

Fukumoto says she started thinking about running because she wasn’t sure if she wanted any of the current candidates to represent her.

Fukumoto switched parties when Republicans voted her out as House Minority Leader after she called Trump a bully in a Women’s March speech. She said many of Trump’s remarks were racist and sexist.