- James Aiona
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James Aiona 
10th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii In office
December 4, 2002 – December 6, 2010Governor Linda Lingle Preceded by Mazie Hirono Succeeded by Brian Schatz Personal details Born June 8, 1955
Honolulu, HawaiiPolitical party Republican Spouse(s) Vivian Aiona Profession Legal Consultant, Judge, Politician James R. "Duke" Aiona, Jr. (born June 8, 1955) is an American politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 2002 to 2010. He is of Hawaiian, Chinese, and Portuguese descent. Prior to his election to the office in 2002, he served both as an attorney and a judge for the state.
Aiona announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2010 and he was victorious after being widely considered the front runner for his party's nomination.[1] He was defeated by former House Representative Neil Abercrombie in the general election.
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Background
James Aiona was born in Pearl City, Hawai`i. He attended Saint Louis School, a local academy of the Diocese of Honolulu. Upon graduating high school, Aiona pursued a bachelor of arts degree in political science, which he received from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California in 1977. Aiona returned to Hawai`i and graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa in 1981.
In 1977, while attending law school, he met Vivian Welsh at a dance in Waikīkī. They married in 1981. They have two sons, Kulia and Makana; and two daughters, Ohulani and Kaimilani.
According to the State of Hawai`i website,[2] Duke Aiona has spent his life serving the public and working to improve the quality of life for the people of Hawai`i. As a city attorney, state judge and as Lt. Governor, Duke Aiona's campaign website claims he has built a "proven record of integrity, leadership and commitment".[3]
He began his legal career at the City and County of Honolulu as a deputy prosecutor, and was appointed to the Hawai`i State Judiciary in 1990 as a Family Court judge. In 1996, Aiona became the first administrative judge and primary architect of the Drug Court Program in Hawai`i. The program gives non-violent offenders a chance to stay out of prison through active and effective drug rehabilitation. Under his leadership, 85 percent of offenders stayed in the program and out of prison[citation needed].
In his first term as Lt. Governor, Aiona intensified efforts against the problem of illicit drug abuse, including methamphetamine, and underage drinking, which increasingly plagued the state. In 2003, his efforts led to Hawai`i’s first Drug Control Strategy Summit. This project gathered together government, nonprofit organizations and members of the community to create an all-encompassing strategy that included community mobilization, prevention, treatment and vigorous law enforcement to deal with illegal drug and alcohol use. Production and use of crystal methamphetamine has since been greatly reduced in the state[citation needed]. As Lt. Governor Aiona is paid $117,312.[4]
Aiona has served as a member of the advisory council for the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). He was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006 to the Advisory Commission on Drug-Free Communities, which advises the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Policy. He is also a co-chair for the Aerospace States Association, a national organization of Lt. Governors whose purpose is to promote aerospace policies relating to education and economic development. Additionally, Aiona is a Co-Chair of Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free, a national leadership coalition that seeks to prevent underage drinking across the nation[citation needed].
Electoral history
Aiona and Governor Linda Lingle became Hawaii's first Republican Administration to win a second term, and they won with the largest margin of victory in any gubernatorial race in the history of the state.[5]
Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2002 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Linda Lingle/James Aiona 194,338 51.6 Democratic Mazie Hirono/Matt Matsunaga 177,186 47.0 Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2006 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Linda Lingle/James Aiona (incumbent) 215,313 62.5 +10.9 Democratic Randy Iwase/Malama Solomon 121,717 35.4 Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2010[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Neil Abercrombie / Brian Schatz 222,724 57.8% Republican James Aiona / Lynn Finnegan 157,311 40.8% Turnout 380,035 55.7% See also
References
- ^ http://www.staradvertiser.com/elections/2010/primary/20100918_Abercrombie_takes_early_lead_in_governors_race.html
- ^ "Office of the Lt. Governor". Hawaii.gov. http://www.hawaii.gov/ltgov. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ http://www.dukeaiona.com/meet/duke?_c=z5asmzmo6gd8yq
- ^ ‘‘The Council of State Governments,’’ “The Book of the States: 2008”
- ^ http://www.hawii.gov/ltgo/lg
- ^ http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2010/general/files/histatewide.pdf
External links
- James Aiona for Governor official campaign site
- Biography, interest group ratings, public statements, vetoes and campaign finances at Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions at FollowTheMoney.org
Political offices Preceded by
Mazie HironoLieutenant Governor of Hawaii
2002–2010Succeeded by
Brian SchatzCategories:- 1955 births
- American people of Portuguese descent
- American politicians of Chinese descent
- Hawaii Republicans
- Hawaii state court judges
- Lieutenant Governors of Hawaii
- Living people
- Native Hawaiian politicians
- People from Honolulu, Hawaii
- University of the Pacific (United States) alumni
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