David Ige | |
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8th Governor of Hawaii | |
Assumed office December 1, 2014 |
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Lieutenant | Shan Tsutsui |
Preceded by | Neil Abercrombie |
Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 16th district |
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In office January 15, 2003 – December 1, 2014 |
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Preceded by | Norman Sakamoto |
Succeeded by | Breene Harimoto |
Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 17th district |
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In office January 15, 1995 – January 15, 2003 |
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Preceded by | Eloise Tungpalan |
Succeeded by | Ron Menor |
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 34th district |
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In office January 15, 1993 – January 15, 1995 |
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Preceded by | Suzanne Chun Oakland |
Succeeded by | Mark Takai |
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 43rd district |
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In office December 2, 1985 – January 15, 1993 |
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Preceded by | Arnold Morgado |
Succeeded by | Henry Peters |
Personal details | |
Born |
David Yutaka Ige January 15, 1957 Pearl City, Hawaii, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Dawn Ige |
Children | 3 |
Residence | Washington Place |
Education | University of Hawaii, Manoa (BS) |
Website | Government website |
David Yutaka Ige (/ˈiːɡeɪ/; born January 15, 1957) is an American politician who serves as the eighth and current Governor of Hawaii, in office since 2014. A Democrat, he previously served in the Hawaii State Senate, representing the 16th district, from 1995 to 2014. In the 2014 Hawaii gubernatorial election, he won the Democratic primary by defeating incumbent Governor Neil Abercrombie with 66% of the vote. Ige defeated Republican Duke Aiona and Independent Mufi Hannemann in the general election with 49.5% of the vote. He assumed office on December 1, 2014.
David Ige was born and raised in Pearl City, Hawaii, and is the fifth of six sons of Tokio and Tsurue Ige, both of Japanese descent. During World War II, Tokio served in the 100th Battalion/442nd Infantry Regimental Combat Team and was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. After the war, his father worked as a steelworker on construction projects while his mother worked as a nurse and dental hygienist. Tokio Ige died in 2005 at the age of 86. Tsurue, now retired, resides in Pearl City.
David Ige attended public schools in Pearl City – Pearl City Elementary School, Highlands Intermediate School, and Pearl City High School. He also participated in community sports, beginning with eight years of playing in the Pearl City Little League. At the newly built Pearl City High School, Ige excelled in many activities. In his junior year, he was elected student body vice president, and he served as senior class president the following year. His campaign for student body president stressed diversity and an end to bullying. Ige also led his varsity tennis team to a championship and was honored as the “Scholar-Athlete of the Year.” He graduated fifth in his class of more than 500 students in 1975.