Colleen Hanabusa | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2011 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 1st district | |
| In office November 14, 2016 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Mark Takai |
| Succeeded by | Ed Case |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Djou |
| Succeeded by | Mark Takai |
| 11th President of the Hawaii Senate | |
| In office January 2, 2009 – November 6, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Bunda |
| Succeeded by | Shan Tsutsui |
| Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 21st district | |
| In office January 20, 1999 – November 6, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | James Aki |
| Succeeded by | Maile Shimabukuro |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Colleen Wakako Hanabusa May 4, 1951 Waianae, Territory of Hawaii |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
John Souza (m. 2008) |
| Education | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (BA, MA, JD) |
Colleen Wakako Hanabusa (Japanese: 花房 若子, born May 4, 1951) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2016 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she ran for her party's nomination for governor of Hawaii in 2018, challenging and losing to incumbent and fellow Democrat David Ige.
Before her election to the United States House of Representatives, Hanabusa was a member of the Hawaii Senate.[1] She served as Senate Majority Leader before being elected Hawaii's first female President of the Senate in 2007.[2][3] On August 24, 2011, she announced her intention to run for election to Congress.[4] On December 17, 2012, after the death of U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, it was announced that Inouye had sent a letter shortly before his death to Governor Neil Abercrombie, stating his desire that Hanabusa be appointed to the seat. Abercrombie decided against appointing Hanabusa and selected Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz instead.[5][6][7] Hanabusa challenged Schatz in the Democratic primary for the 2014 special election, but narrowly lost.[8]
In 2016, Hanabusa announced her intention to run in the 1st congressional district special election to fill the remaining term of Representative Mark Takai, who died in July 2016; she won the Democratic primary for the race on August 13.[9] On November 8, 2016, Hanabusa won the special election for the remainder of Takai's term and also won election to a full term; although her seniority resumed immediately, she needed to be sworn in to perform congressional duties, and she took the oath on November 14.[10][11] In 2017, Hanabusa announced her decision to run for the governorship of Hawaii in 2018 rather than reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives. She lost to incumbent Democratic governor David Ige in the primary, and Ige was reelected to a second term. In February 2020, Hanabusa announced her campaign for Mayor of Honolulu in 2020. She placed third in the nonpartisan blanket primary.
- ^ Goodin, Emily (November 3, 2010). "Dems pick up Hawaii seat". The Hill. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
- ^ EMILY's List (2013), "Colleen Hanabusa", emilyslist.org, retrieved October 27, 2013
- ^ "About Colleen", Hanbusa for Hawaii, 2013, archived from the original on September 21, 2013, retrieved October 27, 2013
- ^ Blair, Chad (August 24, 2011), "No Senate Run for Hanabusa", Honolulu Civil Beat, Peer News, retrieved August 25, 2011
- ^ Isenstadt, Alex (December 17, 2012), "Colleen Hanabusa favorite for Daniel Inouye seat", Politico.com, retrieved October 27, 2013
- ^ "Inouye gave preference for successor before he died", CNN PoliticalTicker, December 18, 2012, archived from the original on December 31, 2012, retrieved October 27, 2013
- ^ Glueck, Katie (December 27, 2012), "Brian Schatz chosen to replace Daniel Inouye", Politico.com, retrieved October 27, 2013
- ^ Cheney, Kyle; Dovere, Edward-Isaac (August 16, 2014). "Brian Schatz edges Colleen Hanabusa in Hawaii primary". Politico. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
- ^ "Schatz, Hanabusa, Gabbard Win Hawaii Democratic Primaries". www.rafu.com. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- ^ "Hanabusa, Colleen". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
- ^ Duran, Nicole (November 14, 2016). "Three House lawmakers sworn in just before Congress ends". Washington Examiner.