Former state Sen. Gary Hooser has resigned as vice chairman of the Hawaii Democratic Party, saying he is primarily stepping down so he can endorse the candidacy of former state Board of Education member Kim Coco Iwamoto in her challenge to House Speaker Scott Saiki.

“We are in crisis. And it isn’t just the health of people in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our democracy has also become infected with power struggles, infighting, and a sense of entitlement. Our complacent state leadership no longer puts the public interest first — even in the face of unprecedented unemployment and suffering that is visible to everyone — except our lawmakers,” said Hooser in a statement Wednesday.

“Our elected representatives are supposed to serve. Instead, we see even the ones who genuinely want to serve cowed by the power wielded by people at the top. This is not healthy. It does nobody any good, and it is hurting Hawaii,” he said in his statement.

Iwamoto is a lawyer who was elected to the state Board of Education in 2006, making her the first openly transgender candidate to win election to the board. She served on the board until 2011, and was an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018. She also made an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate in 2016.

Saiki (D, Downtown- Kakaako-McCully) is also a lawyer, and as House speaker is one of the most powerful Democrats in the state. He has served in the state House since 1994.

Hooser is a leader of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, and served eight years in the state Senate and eight more on the Kauai County Council. By resigning as party vice-chairman, he also gives up a seat on the Democratic National Committee and an opportunity to be a super delegate at the Democratic National Convention later this year.

Democratic Party officials are expected to remain neutral in primary races, so Hooser resigned his post before endorsing Iwamoto.

He described Iwamoto as “the kind of brave, forward-thinking leader we need in government to help steer us in the right direction. We cannot let incumbent lawmakers who have taken their constituents for granted to just keep doing what they have been doing and expect things to improve.”

Saiki declined to comment on Hooser’s announcement.