Quentin Kawānanakoa

Quentin Kawānanakoa
File:Quentin Kawananakoa, 2013 King Kamehemeha Parade, crop.jpg
Born	(1961-09-28) September 28, 1961 Monterey, California
Occupation	Politician, Royalty
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Broun Kawānanakoa
Children	Kincaid Kawānanakoa Riley Kawānanakoa
Parent(s)	Edward A. Kawānanakoa Carolyn Willison Kawānanakoa

Quentin Kūhiō Kawānanakoa (born September 28, 1961), is a Republican politician of the state of Hawaii. Kawānanakoa is an organizer of the Republican Party of Hawaii. He is the head of the House of Kawānanakoa. Some in the native Hawaiian community consider him heir to the throne of the lapsed Kingdom of Hawaii and refer to him as Prince Kawānanakoa, although he neither claims nor rejects this. He is also an heir to the James Campbell Estate.

Early years

Kawānanakoa was born September 28, 1961, in Monterey, California. He was the second son of his father Edward A. Kawānanakoa and his mother Carolyn Willison Kawānanakoa. He was raised in Honolulu where he graduated from Punahou School. Kawānanakoa went on to study at the University of Southern California. He returned to Oʻahu and graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law. Upon obtaining his law degree, he served in private practice at the law firm Case, Bigelow & Lombardi until 2000.

Political life

In 1994, Kawānanakoa followed in his ancestors' footsteps and got involved in politics. Like his great uncle Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, Kawānanakoa joined the Republican Party of Hawaii for its pro-business stance. He ran and won an election for the Hawai`i State House of Representatives, an office he served through 1998. He rose through the ranks of party leadership becoming minority floor leader. During an attempt to mount a challenge for the Congressional seat held by Neil Abercrombie, Kawānanakoa abruptly retired from active political life after being hospitalized.

In April 2006, after eight years out of the public eye, Kawānanakoa announced his run for the Congressional seat held by Ed Case, who chose not to run for U.S. Senate. He declared his candidacy on April 23, 2006. In the primary elections held on September 24, 2006, Kawānanakoa was defeated by State Senator Robert Hogue. The final vote total was Hogue: 8,393 votes (45.6%) vs. Kawānanakoa: 8,194 votes (44.5%). Senator Hogue went on to lose to Mazie Hirono.

In 2008 Kawānanakoa unsuccessfully ran for the Hawaii State House of Representatives. His opponent in the November 4, 2008, election was Democrat Chris Kalani Lee. Lee won with 5,885 votes to Kawānanakoa's 3,374 votes.

Family

In September 1995, Kawānanakoa married Elizabeth Broun, a native of Barbados. Their first child, Kincaid Kawānanakoa, was born on 16 June 1997 in Honolulu. In December 1999, the Kawānanakoas announced the birth of their second child, Riley Kawānanakoa, in Honolulu.