Kai Kahele

Kaiali‘i Kahele (born March 28, 1974)[1] is an American politician from the state of Hawaii. He serves in the Hawaii Senate from the 1st district, since 2016. Kahele is a member of the Democratic Party,[2][3] and the son of Gil Kahele.

Kai Kahele
Member of the Hawaii Senate
from the 1st district
Assumed office
February 17, 2016
Preceded byGil Kahele
Personal details
Born (1974-03-28) March 28, 1974
Miloli‘i, Hawaii, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Maria Fe Day
Children3
EducationHawaii Community College
University of Hawaii, Hilo
University of Hawaii, Mānoa (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
Years of service2001–present
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Unit Hawaii Air National Guard
Battles/warsIraq War
War in Afghanistan
War on Terror
Awards Air Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
Commendation Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal

In January 2019, Kahele announced he would run for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district in 2020.

Early life and education

Kahele is a Native Hawaiian whose family comes from the small fishing village of Miloli‘i in South Kona. A product of Hawai‘i's public school system, he graduated from Hilo High School, attended Hawai‘i Community College and the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, before earning a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in education from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in 1998.

As a member of the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors NCAA Division I Mens Volleyball Team, he was voted "Most Inspirational Teammate" by his team in 1997. He and his wife live with their daughters in Hilo, Kahele's lifetime home on Hawaii Island.[4]

Career

Kahele is a military and civilian pilot. He is a commissioned officer in the Hawaii Air National Guard, United States Air Force, where he continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel with the 201st Air Mobility Operations Squadron at Hickam Air Force Base. Kahele is a decorated combat veteran with multiple deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan since 2005. He has flown 108 combat sorties, logged 3,075 hours of military flight time, and commanded C-17 combat missions. Kahele is the recipient of numerous awards including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Medal for combat missions flown in Afghanistan, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Hawaii State Active Duty Medal and the Combat Readiness Medal. He has previously been named both Pacific Air Forces Guard Officer of the Year and Hawaiʻi Air National Guard Officer of the Year.

He also flies as a civilian pilot for Hawaiian Airlines. Kahele has served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Hawaii State Senate

Kahele was appointed on February 16, 2016, to the position of State Senator for Hawaii District 1 following the death of his father, Gil Kahele, who held the seat at the time of his death. Kahele defeated Dennis "Fresh" Onishi in the August 2016 Democratic Primary 57% to 35% and then defeated Libertarian Kimberly Arianoff in the general election in November 2016.[5] Kahele won the 2018 general election by a wide margin.

In the 2019 Senate, Kahele serves as the Majority Floor Leader and is chair of the Senate Committee on Water and Land. He is also a member of the Ways and Means, Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education Committees. During the 19th Annual Western Legislative Academy (WLA), lawmakers from other states elected Kahele as the class president of the Council of State Governments (CSG) West. Kahele will represent the WLA and all alumni as an executive committee member of CSG West.

Kahele's most prominent political activity is associated with governance of Maunakea.[6]

Kahele has vowed to reform the UH system, declaring that the "system is broken".[7] He introduced SB 1161 in 2017 to freeze tuition until 2027. The bill did not advance.[8] Kahele introduced SB 2329 in 2018 calling for reduction in tuition at UH campuses.[9] The bill has been criticized for reducing the university's ability to manage its finances.[10]

Kahele backed passage and enactment of a measure establishing the Hilo Community Economic Division to pave the way for County and State investment in Hilo and East Hawaii's economic future. He was a key supporter in developing a bachelor of science in commercial aviation program that will commence in the fall of 2019 at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Other legislative priorities for Kahele are Banyan Drive redevelopment and funding for rat-lungworm disease research.[11] HB 2014 for $1M in research funding related to rat lungworm disease at UH Hilo was introduced in the Hawaii House but has not advanced.[12]

In 2017, Kahele served as Vice Chair of the Education Committee, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, and member of Housing and Ways and Means Committees.

U.S. House election
Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii § District 2

In January 2019, Kahele announced he would run for Congress in Hawaii's 2nd congressional district. Incumbent congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard, who ran for President, announced on October 25 her intent to not run for another term in Congress.[13][14]

References
  1. "Confident Kahele faces experienced, novice challengers in District 1". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. July 25, 2016.
  2. "Kaiali'i Kahele". Hawaii Legislature. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  3. "Kaiali'i Kahele". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  4. "Legislative Members". www.capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  5. "Kaiali'i Kahele - Ballotpedia". Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  6. "Community Presentations on the Future of Maunakea". Big Island Now | Community Presentations on the Future of Maunakea. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  7. ""System Is Broken"". hilo.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  8. "SB 1161 - Hawaii 2017 Regular Session". Open States. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  9. "Measure Status". www.capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  10. Mendoza, Jim. "Lawmakers take up proposal to put UH tuition hikes on ice". Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  11. "East Hawaii lawmakers outline legislative priorities - West Hawaii Today". West Hawaii Today. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  12. "HB 2104 - Hawaii 2018 Regular Session". Open States. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  13. Cocke, Sophie (January 21, 2019). "Hawaii state Sen. Kai Kahele officially announces 2020 bid for Congress". Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
  14. Tulsi Gabbard [@TulsiGabbard] (October 24, 2019). "I'm fully committed to my offer to serve you, the people of Hawaii & America, as your President & Commander-in-Chief. So I will not be seeking reelection to Congress in 2020. I humbly ask for your support for my candidacy for President of the United States tulsi.to/mahalo" (Tweet). Retrieved October 28, 2019 – via Twitter.
Hawaii Senate
Preceded by
Gil Kahele		 Member of the Hawaii Senate
from the 1st district
2016–present		 Incumbent
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