Nicholas Demings

**Nicholas Frederick Demings** (born 2 July 1971) is a Hawaiian politician and political scientist who has served as as minister of defense in the Kanazawa ministry since 2018. Additionally, Demings has represented Oahu in the House of Representatives since 2006, and is a member of the Hawaii National Party.

Born in Ewa Beach, Demings graduated from James Campbell High School in 1989. He afterwards enrolled in the University of Hawaii, Manoa, receiving a degree in political science in 1993. After graduating, Demings received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Magdalen College of the University of Oxford in England, receiving a master's degree in political theory in 1995. He subsequently returned to Hawaii, and began a doctoral program at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, receiving his doctorate in political theory in 2002. After graduating, Demings taught international politics and political theory at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, before leaving to begin a career in elected politics in 2006.

Demings entered politics in 2006, when he was included as a Hawaii National Party candidate in Oahu for the 2006 general election, and was elected to the House of Representatives. Upon taking his seat in parliament, Demings focused his legislating on foreign affairs and defense policy. Following the 2018 general election, he was nominated by Kenzie Kanazawa to serve as minister of defense in her cabinet, and was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani.

## Early life and education

Demings was born on 2 July 1971 in Ewa Beach to parents Joseph (born 1948) and Marie Demings (née *Mitchell*; born 1950). His father worked as a landscaper, while his mother was a secretary. The family was working-class. Demings is of predominately Irish and English ancestry, and was raised a Pentecostal Christian, although he has since left the faith. He is the elder of two brothers; his younger brother is Charles (born 1974).

Demings began his education in 1976, attending public schooling in Ewa Beach. Ever since his youth, Demings was a gifted student, who excelled particularly in history. He began high school at James Campbell High School in 1985, where he was an honors student, and graduated in 1989, as his class valedictorian. Demings afterwards enrolled in the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where he received a bachelor's degree in political science in 1993, graduating once again as valedictorian. After completing his undergraduate degree, Demings received a Rhodes Scholarship and moved to England to enroll at Magdalen College of the University of Oxford. He received a master's degree in political theory in 1995, before returning to Hawaii.

After returning to Hawaii, Demings began a doctoral program in political science at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He later received his doctorate in 2002, having written his dissertation on modern-day implementations of historical political theory within European democracies.

## Education career

Demings first began teaching while he was a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He began working as a teaching assistant in 1997, and assisted in teaching various courses on political theory and international politics. After graduating with his doctorate in 2002, Demings was hired by the Department of Political Science at the University of Hawaii, Manoa as an assistant professor of political science. He taught courses on 18th-century political theory and European political history, before leaving his academic career in 2004, in order to enter elected politics.

## Political career

### Early politics

Demings entered politics in 2006, after he was selected by the Hawaii National Party to be a candidate on their party list in Oahu for the 2006 general election. He was ultimately elected to the House of Representatives, and took his seat on 10 July 2006. Upon taking his seat in parliament, Demings focused his legislating on foreign affairs and defense policy. He was later reelected in the 2010 and 2014 elections.

Upon beginning his political career, Demings positioned himself in the centrist bloc of HNP politicians. He endorsed Judy Carpenter in the 2006 Hawaii National Party leadership election, and Cristine Hyodo Larson in the 2010 leadership election.

### Defense minister

In the aftermath of the 2018 election, the Hawaii National Party lost their parliamentary majority. Due to the loss, David Chang resigned as party leader and a leadership election was called. Demings did not run in the election, but endorsed the candidacy of Kenzie Kanazawa, who went on to win the election.

Following the conclusion of the leadership election, Kanazawa negotiated a coalition agreement with the Hui Pū ʻAna political party. The Hawaiian media reported that Demings was under consideration for a ministerial nomination. Kanazawa later nominated him as minister of defense in the Kanazawa ministry. He was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani on 18 September 2018. As defense minister, Demings is responsible for overseeing defense policy, military spending and budgeting, and regulation of the armed forces.

## Personal life

Demings began a relationship with political science professor and political theorist Maggie Chen in 1996, while both were pursuing doctoral degrees at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. They became engaged in 1999, and married the following year. Demings and Chen have two children together: Elizabeth (born 2002) and Carter (born 2005). They reside in the Manoa neighborhood of Honolulu.

Demings was raised a Pentecostal Christian, but has since distanced himself from the religion. In 2016, he identified himself as an atheist.