Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi General Election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Nicholas Kiswanto, Democratic candidate for U.S. House 1st District, which covers urban Oahu.

His opponents are Nathan Berning, Jennifer Booker, Ed Case, Jordan Conley, Ben Fatula, Jarrett Keohokalole and Adriel Lam.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

At this specific moment in American history — marked by intense divisions and the politics of grievance — why are you the right person to represent the specific needs of Hawaiʻi’s 1st Congressional District?

I believe the divisions and politics of grievance have been largely driven by the erosion of trust in public institutions due to individuals in those institutions who care more about self-enrichment than serving the public good. Because I’m self-funded, I have no obligation to those who would bankroll my campaign. I am the right person for CD1 because I am an average voter who finally got tired of waiting for someone like myself to run and represent everyday people and our everyday needs.

What is the biggest issue facing Hawaiʻi, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

Loss of aloha caused by ever-increasing costs, which is largely driven by the military and mainland companies not being held fully accountable for the profits they extract from the ʻāina. I would address that issue by demanding action behind the words of the 1993 Apology Resolution, starting with having the military pay property taxes for their properties in Hawai’i. I would also work to incentivize revenue to stay in Hawai’i and/or disincentivize revenue from leaving.

Here’s one question from your constituents: Will you stand up against the bullying corruption of the Trump admin?

Absolutely. Congress has a duty to check and balance the executive branch but our current representative in Congress has been actively aiding the most corrupt executive branch in history by, at least, passing voter suppression measures and appropriating funds for its bullying. I will take Congress’s duty to check the executive branch seriously by being ever-vigilant of executive power grabs and work to ensure no such bills pass. I will also work to abolish the presidential pardon.

For those who have held public office: What is one piece of legislation or policy initiative you spearheaded in the last four years that had a measurable, positive impact on Hawaiʻi? For challengers who have not held public office: What professional or community achievement best demonstrates your ability to navigate complex bureaucracies and deliver results?

I was a patent examiner in the United States Patent and Trademark Office for 17 years, which is governed by Section 35 of the United States Code. Patent examiners work under a quota system while still delivering high-quality actions that analyze and apply the law to each application and effectively communicate the rationale of each examination outcome. In my last few years at the USPTO I am proud to have trained new examiners to successfully navigate the complexities of the job.

With the Trump administration in its final two years, how specifically do you plan to ensure Hawaiʻi’s interests aren’t sidelined? Name one specific policy area where you believe you can find common ground with the administration or across the aisle to benefit Hawaiʻi residents.

Environmental issues are something both Republicans and Democrats can agree upon. Everybody needs clean air, clean water and healthy lands. Thus, I believe bipartisan legislation can be achieved on environmental issues. Climate change affects us all and Congress can tax pretty much anything, so I would propose tax incentives on science-backed actions that mitigate the effects of climate change and levy tax penalties on those actions that exacerbate climate change.

Hawaiʻi consistently ranks as one of the most expensive housing markets in the U.S. Beyond general support for HUD, what federal program or legislative mechanism would you propose to specifically address affordability and increase housing inventory on the islands?

Congress and therefore, the people, control the administrative side of the military. I would work to require the military in Hawai’i to house all active service members on bases, freeing up housing stock for civilians. In the meantime I would work to remove the average $3,700-per-month tax-free housing allowance for service members, and ban eminent domain for the military in Hawaii, at the very least.

The Jones Act is a century-old cargo shipping law that some argue has a significant impact on Hawaiʻi’s cost of living. Do you support a full repeal, a specific exemption for Hawaiʻi or maintaining the status quo? How will you build a national coalition to change it? If you support maintaining the status quo, please explain why that’s necessary.

I support maintaining the status quo on the Jones Act. Supporters of repealing the Jones Act, at least for Hawai’i, argue that the removal of the requirements of the Act would result in reduced prices because the cost of operations would be reduced. However, that argument relies on the assumption that the cost savings would be passed along to the consumer. Historical data leads me to believe that any hypothetical cost savings would be kept by the shipping companies.

National conservative groups have launched legal challenges against Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy and a federal program that provides Native Hawaiian health scholarships. Are you concerned about protecting those institutions and programs and, if so, what federal legislative action will you take?

I am absolutely concerned about protecting those institutions. Under normal circumstances I would count on the court system to protect those institutions as they have done in the past. However, this Supreme Court is the most corrupt of our lifetime and we cannot trust the majority of justices to rule justly. I would rely on experts in Native and Constitutional law to draft legislation that enshrines the mission of Kamehameha Schools and Native Hawaiian health scholarships.

Climate change and ever more powerful disasters are facts of life in Hawaiʻi. How would you plan to address that issue in Washington on behalf of the state?

I would propose tax incentives/credits for research, products, services, etc. that either mitigate the effects of climate change or build resiliency until we reverse climate change; think policies along the lines of the solar panel tax credit. Giving tax credits to local programs that strengthen local food production and reduce demand for importing food, for example. Matching federal funding for state initiatives that reduce petroleum demand, as another example.

Hawaiʻi aims for 100% renewable energy by 2045. Do you support Gov. Josh Green’s initiative to use liquefied natural gas as a bridge fuel until that goal is met?

Since Gov. (Josh) Green is the democratically elected governor of Hawai’i and I am not an expert in liquefied natural gas, I support his initiative to use liquefied natural gas as a bridge fuel as long as the principles of good governance are applied every step of the way.

As the headquarters of INDOPACOM, Hawaiʻi is central to U.S. strategy in the Pacific. How do you balance the need for a strong military presence with the environmental and social concerns of the local community?

A good start would be for the military to stop gaslighting the public and acknowledge the harmful effects of their presence, such as Red Hill and the strategic risk that comes with being the headquarters of INDOPACOM. Then, mitigate and remediate those harmful effects to the greatest extent possible. The military has incredible logistical knowledge that could be used to do real works of community building. They could do their part in maintaining the infrastructure that we all use, for example.

Immigration is a cornerstone of Hawaiʻi’s history and culture, yet the Trump administration has taken an aggressive stance on enforcement. How will you represent Hawaiʻi’s values in Washington while balancing the federal government’s need to secure the nation’s borders?

The federal argument for the “need” to secure the nation’s borders centers around “national security,” however, the national security issue arose due to America’s imperialistic actions abroad. I would argue in Congress that healing the damage caused by American meddling in other countries would go a long way towards reducing and maybe even eliminating national security issues, and thus the need to secure the nation’s borders.